New Knaresborough Town manager Paul Stansfield. Picture: Craig Hinsdale
The play-offs rank as an achievable aim for Knaresborough Town, according to their new manager Paul Stansfield.
The new era under Stansfield and his assistant Mark Smitheringale begins with a trip to Teversal on the Toolstation NCEL Division One opening day.
Stansfield replaced Brian Davey, who shocked many with his resignation at the beginning of July after eight glorious years in charge.
His final campaign was his least successful as Knaresborough failed to mount a planned promotion bid and found their season over by Christmas.
That would not be the case this season and Stansfield said: “A lot of clubs give up on at Christmas time, but now if you’re 12th or 14th then you have half a chance of getting in the play-offs.
“I think it is a fantastic thing for the league to make it competitive because everyone will push right to the end.
“I’m hopeful that we’ll be in that mix and I will be disappointed if we’re not looking to hit the play-offs.
“It is a realistic aim and if we get into the play-offs then we will have had a good season.
“I’d be very happy with that and it would be a great achievement.
“We finished 12th last season which was slightly disappointing and I think everyone knows we were hoping to go the other way.
“We have gone back a little bit so anything above that would be great.
“We are looking for runs in cups, but you have to use common sense.
“We’re not going to go from 12th to 1st. It is going to be very tough in Division One this season because you only have to look at some of the teams in it.”