CAMPION manager James Bicknell is pleased with his club's preparations so far and is already working on finalising his squad for their forthcoming historic season.

The new campaign will be the first for the club on the non-League ladder.

Campion will be playing in Division One of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League alongside Bradford neighbours Eccleshill United and a host of other clubs that have been established on the football pyramid for decades.

Bicknell said: "We've done all right, to be fair, in the couple of games that we've had – and I'm glad because the players were really looking forward to them."

Campion jumped in at the deep end this week by playing two sides that will be in the division above them next term. They opened on Monday with a 4-3 defeat to Harrogate Railway Athletic, who were in Evo-Stik League Division One North last season, and drew 2-2 with Thackley on Thursday.

With minutes under their belts and more friendlies to come, Bicknell is looking to settle his squad.

"We're working with 20 players at the moment but we've got lads on holiday and lads unavailable at times," he said.

"We need everyone we've got at the moment and we're still waiting to see if some lads are committing or not.

"We'll know more in the next week or so and then we can start to work with the players that will be taking us into what is going to be a massive season for us.

"The trouble with this division is that there are some teams shelling out a lot of money and we're not one of them. We rely on a good core of local players who want to play for the club.

"We started pre-season with a couple of big games and we've enjoyed it.

"We could have gone for the easy option and got games against teams lower down but what's the point in having six games, winning them all and not being ready for the tough games when the league starts?

"It's better to test yourself – even if it means getting beaten in the friendlies – so that when we go into the league, we'll be in the best possible shape."