North Division One is a genuine step up in class from North Two East, which the Bees won last season. But the Rugby Union men from Wagon Lane are expecting big things in the forthcoming campaign, which starts in earnest on September 6 at Birkenhead Park.

The Bees, bidding for only their second-ever season at National League level, have signed eight players, including a whole new front row.

Half of their newcomers are from Otley - props Ronnie Kelly and Peter Hall, second row Ian Carroll and centre Phil Greaves.

Their other four signings are hooker Leon Treco from Sedgley Park, centre Stuart Dixon from Rotherham, winger or full back Joe Simpson from Halifax and Dave Jones from Keighley Cougars, who will be a squad member.

Greaves, Treco and Dixon all grew up playing for the Bees, while Simpson previously starred for both the Bradford Bulls' Academy team and Bradford Salem, and has played in the United States' national league.

A Bees spokesman said: "We looked at certain positions where we wanted to strengthen the squad at the end of last season, but we have also retained all of last season's squad - no one has left, which says something for team spirit."

Although the Bees doubtless wish Tonga all the best for the World Cup this autumn, from a selfish point of view it will do their promotion chances no harm if scrum half Joe Nau and No 8 Chris Hala'uifa were not to make the cut when the South Sea islanders whittle down their national squad from 50 to 30 on September 8.

And the initial season of the Geoff Cooke-Andy Bemrose coaching set-up worked well too, and they will be in tandem again next season.

In addition, things have been going well off the field with improvements in both marketing and sponsorship, topped off by the 12-month deal with major backers JCT600.

Also the floodlights have been upgraded on the second-team pitch, and perimeter boards are also selling well round the Bees' first-team pitch at Wagon Lane.

And it hasn't been forgotten how vocal the backing was from visiting fans when the Bees played at Cheltenham in the quarter-finals of the Powergen Intermediate Cup last spring.

"To hear about 300 spectators cheer the lads onto the pitch brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye," said the

Bees' spokes-man.

"We are flying, but we also remember that one man's

ambition is another man's inhibition."

A few years ago the Bees produced a glossy pamphlet which stated their ambition of facing Wasps, Leicester and Harlequins on equal terms in some five years.

That may look fanciful now, particularly in view of their relegation two seasons ago, but the Bees, under that supreme man-manager Cooke and his willing assistant Bemrose, now feel that they are building a more solid foundation for their bid to reach a higher plateau.