BRIGHOUSE Town chairman Ray McLaughlin feels that promotion to the Evo-Stik League has put his club on the map in football terms ahead of tomorrow’s first game in the higher tier.

He said: “Just six years ago we were in the West Riding County Amateur League, and a lot of people in the town didn’t even know where our ground was.

"Now people are asking how to get to it, so winning another promotion has definitely put us on the map.

“In modern parlance, there is a bit of a buzz going around.”

Town join near-neighbours Farsley and the Ossett clubs, Town and Albion, in the division which is on step four of the non-league pyramid.

Darlington, Spennymoor and Northwich Victoria, not to mention Salford City – recently purchased by the Class of 92 stars Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Neville brothers Gary and Phil – are all now rivals of Brighouse Town.

McLaughlin said: “On paper, it looks daunting and we have a little bit of work to do on the ground before March to meet the requirements of the league.

"The admin is a lot more involved than we are used to but the Evo-Stik League are always there to help out new clubs until they get their feet under the table.

“Despite all that, we have not just come up to be also rans, and our manager Paul (Quinn) has been keen that the players and coaches do not refer to us ‘consolidating’ this season.

“We see it more as getting established and becoming competitive in a higher division, and if that means taking on the Spennymoors, the Darlingtons and the Farsleys, then so be it.

"We will do the best we can and learn every week, both on and off the pitch.”