FARSLEY Celtic kick off their first season back in the Evo-Stik Premier Division with a home fixture against Coalville Town on Saturday, and Celts boss Adam Lakeland knows his squad are ready for the new challenges ahead.

He said: “This is a very competitive league with some big clubs in it like Workington, Altrincham, Stalybridge Celtic, Stafford Rangers, Stourbridge - the names just keep rolling off the tongue.

“We know how difficult it’s going to be week in, week out but the players are champing at the bit.

"It’s been a hard pre-season but I think more positives than negatives have come out of it and the players have come through it apart from Jordan (Deacey).

“Jordan picked up that knee injury but it wasn’t as bad as first thought and he’ll be back soon.

"This game has come a week or two too soon for him, and Nathan Turner is still on his way back from an operation but, apart from that, the lads are all ready to go.”

The Celts won promotion via the play-offs last term after finishing as runners-up, just one point behind Evo-Stik Division One North champions Lancaster City.

Farsley left their neighbours Brighouse Town behind, and their first game in Division One North this season has them hosting Skelmersdale United, who finished bottom of the Premier Division with just five league wins in the last campaign.

Brighouse are also under new stewardship as long-term boss Paul Quinn left after just missing out on the play-offs, and the club appointed Vill Powell, who has brought in his own staff and some new faces.

Some of the restructuring was down to the new manager making his mark on the squad but some signings were necessary after Quinn’s squad was raided by rival clubs.

A handful of Town’s regulars left and three of them signed for Farsley following the Celts’ promotion.