AMATEUR footballers from across the region will begin to dream they can guide their clubs to glory when the West Lancashire Football League kicks off on Saturday.
Tom Murphy speaks to the managers to find out how their pre-season has progressed and what spectators can expect in the coming season...


Askam United enjoyed their first ever promotion when they finished as Division Two champions eight points clear of GSK Ulverston Rangers last year.
Manager Ben Shirley admits his team will face significant challenges in a higher league but is excited at the prospect of a new signing and the emergence of some of the team’s younger players.
The club has signed winger Jonathan Jones from Dalton United while Matthew France, Declan Kell and Michael Thompson will look to make their mark in the first team after spending much of last season in the reserves.
“Jonathan has done very well in pre-season. He is a tricky winger with bags of pace and is very skilful,” said Shirley.
“We are expecting it to be tough. Hopefully we can survive and will have a good run in the cup also.”

Elsewhere in Division One a youthful Ambleside United will be hoping for an improved league position after finishing third-bottom last year.
Manager George Gudgeon said all his players are ‘ready and raring to go’.
“It’s a very young squad again but we will be looking to take it week-by-week,” he said. “We are still rebuilding and have a lot of young players we want to develop.”

Kendal County boss Neil Hayton hopes to push for promotion from Division Two after finishing fifth last year.
“We all felt disappointed with our league finish last season, especially after the good start we had,” he said.
“It's a competitive division and a tough one to get out of, but hopefully we'll have a more settled squad this season and we can push on and improve on last season.”
Hayton said he has lost a couple of key players but has been impressed with new signings Luke Selby, Jay Turner and Jason Tucker.
“We've tested ourselves against some really good opposition in the friendlies we've played and all of the games have been really competitive,” he said.

Four wins in their last four games just weren’t enough as Milnthorpe Corinthians missed out on promotion from Division Two - finishing four points behind GSK.
Manager Richard Close hopes his team can use that anguish to spur on a promotion push this season.
“We have got two new players in and strengthened up front and in midfield,” said Close.
“I am quite happy with the preparations so far. The lads are fit and up for it.
“The difference between last year and this year is we have now got an established side. All the lads know their jobs and what they have to do.
“We know where we went wrong and feel we have strengthened appropriately in the right areas.”

GSK Ulverston Rangers were promoted alongside Askam into Division One and play Fulwood Amateurs on Saturday before facing Dalton United on Tuesday evening.

Dalton United finished seventh in Division One and will be hoping for the perfect start to the season when they travel to Lytham Town on Saturday.

Crooklands Casuals finished fifth in the Premier Division and had one of the best home records with ten wins from 15 but were let down with their away form - winning just three and losing nine as they finished with 44 points.
Their opening fixture is away at Longridge Town, now managed by former Kendal Town boss Lee Ashcroft.