NEWLY confirmed Kendal Town boss Steve Edmondson has admitted the coming campaign will be tough.

But as he prepared for the squad’s opening pre-season training session this week, the Mintcakes manager said he was relishing the task and is looking forward to the challenges ahead.

“I honestly think we are in a better place than we were last season,” said Edmondson, who took over as caretaker manager in January and agreed during the close season to take the job on a permanent basis.

“But we know it will be a very tough league.

“The North East sides are always hard to play against and it will be a tough season, but I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t looking forward to it and ready for the challenge.”

The club were delighted that more than 30 players turned up at Tuesday’s initial training session, and Edmondson said he had already spoken to a number of potential signings who were ready to commit to the club and keen to get involved.

Town have also added a further pre-season friendly to the list recently published in The Westmorland Gazette, with a fixture against a Blackburn Rovers XI set for Tuesday, July 23, with a 7.30pm kick off.