ST HELENS Town are looking forward to the 2016/17 season in the First Division of the Hallmark Security League (formerly North West Counties League), certain in the knowledge that all the players who ended last season with the club will begin the new season under joint managers Alan Gillespie and Nick Matthews.

In addition, a number of new players have signed on, including former goalkeeper Lee Novak and centre back Hamish Falconer, who should be available more often this time around.

At the League’s Annual Presentation Evening , captain Andy Gillespie was awarded the Golden Boot as the First Division’s leading scorer with 29 league goals for season 2015/16 (34 in all games) and the club received the First Division’s Best Programme Award.

They were also top of the fair play table in the First Division for the final third of the season.

The new season will see Town return to the borough at the new ground at Ruskin Drive, although the facilities may not be available until late August or early September.

Any home fixtures prior to that will be held at Prescot Cables’ ground at Valerie Park, including a pre-season friendly against Runcorn Linnets on Thursday, 28 July, 7.45pm.

Other pre-season games (all away from home) have been arranged as follows:

Thursday, 14 July – Coppull United (6.45pm).

Tuesday, 19 July – Lostock St. Gerard’s (6.45pm).

Saturday, 23 July – Lytham Town (3pm).

Saturday, 30 July – two games: Billinge and Lincoln Moorlands Railway (both 3pm).

Tuesday, 2 August – two games: Atherton Town (6.45) and Hesketh Bank (7pm).

The First Division fixtures will not be released until mid-July, but there will be six new clubs for Town to face, together with three clubs newly relegated from the Premier Division in AFC Blackpool, Silsden and Alsager Town.

In addition to three teams (Hanley Town, Irlam and Barnton) promoted, Rochdale Town have been relegated by the FA and Northwich Manchester Villa have resigned.

The newly-promoted clubs are Carlisle City, Charnock Richard, Prestwich Heys and Sandbach United, whilst newly-formed clubs City of Liverpool - who will be ground-sharing with Bootle – and FC Oswestry Town (based at The New Saints ground) have been placed in the League by the FA.

All this means that the First Division will comprise 22 clubs rather than 18 last season, with eight more fixtures to fit into the competition this time around.

The major differences for the new season, once the new ground is available, will be that games will be played on a synthetic surface and all midweek home games will take place on a Thursday night, when no other clubs will be playing, which should make for bigger crowds.