Saints to make their modern-day history

That is the majority view of the nine first-team coaches canvassed ahead of the league campaign which gets under way at Northfield this evening and by tomorrow night will see eight of the sides having played the first of their 24 fixtures.

After last season’s lasting three-way battle for the title, the champions’ Leon Meakin expects it to be tight again.

‘We want to really win the league again because St Martin’s have never retained the title, other than the great side that won nine in a row.

‘It will be a chance for our players to make a bit of history if they can.’

And four of his rival managers, have concluded that they will do just that.

Meakin, though, expects it to be tough.

‘It is going to be really tight again and I have been really impressed by North, Rovers and Vale Rec.

‘Sylvans have also a very good squad. It is going to be really competitive and I expect it to go to the wire again.’

Hear more from all nine Priaulx coaches in a special season preview podcast. Listen here:

Fresh from his maiden piece of silverware, Rovers’ Kevin Gillease is confident of success, while at the same time works out how his side will cope without Carlos Canha and, for now at least, Sam Hall.

In relation to the Rawlinson glory Gillease admitted ‘It was nice to get the trophy’ ...’and that monkey off our back,’ Rovers having lost a succession of finals in recent years.

‘Hopefully that breeds confidence in everyone and we kick on.’

He added: ‘Obviously with Carlos we are going to miss having him around. They are hard boots to fill, but we have got options.

‘It is a tribute to all at the club that we can field a team of that quality who have been home-grown or been at the club a long time.

‘It shows if you have got a plan in place, stick to it, you can reap the rewards.’

Sylvans, fresh from landing the Martinez after the FA Cup on the last day of last season, have lost key men in Jacob Fallaize and Seb Smeed, but in beating St Martin’s in midweek showed they remain a team of quality.

Although nobody is declaring their way, but coach Martyn de Garis feels that ‘the club can now compete with the ‘big boys’.

Jacob [Fallaize] and Seb [Smeed] will be back [from the USA] at Christmas and at the end of the season, but we have got adequate replacements.

‘Our youngsters are a year older and have a year more experience, so we should be really competitive.’

But he plumps for Northerners whose coach, Jose Alvarez, has spoken of his pride in the squad which fought hard last year when they were riven with injury absences that cost them.

He hopes for better luck this time around and the early signs are promising.

‘Mentally things weren’t right with the guys at the start of the season and in pre-season and the Rawlinson we lost eight of our squad of 22. We never recovered from that.’

‘On the positive side we gave first team debut to 11 16-17 year-olds and that is the credit to all the club.

‘Everybody did a brilliant job and the strength of North has always in producing its own players and there is talent coming through.

‘The youngsters coming up couldn’t find a better group of senior players to come into. It is perfect and they are a great bunch of guys. I am so proud of them. I am confident we can compete.’

But will they win the league trophy for a 33rd time?

‘My target has never changed from day one. The North Priaulx have to challenge to win everything. My mentality is to win, not come second or third.

‘[But] the favourite has to be St Martin’s,’ said Alvarez who respects the challenge of all his expected rivals, including Belgraves.

‘I think they will have a very good season too.’

Rangers’ Rex Williams is entering his first full season in charge at Rangers and despite losing a couple of their best young talent is not getting too despondent.

‘When I speak to the youngsters that have left, I am adamant they all have to be happy where they play their football. If that is somewhere else, so be it.

‘It is worrying [the losses] but I believe we have got some hidden gems we can turn to.’

Williams believes they can maintain their late-season revival and expects Saints ‘are going to take some beating’.

‘Saints will take it again I think,’ he added.

Mark Romeril, the Manzur coach, has at times wondered whether he would get a side to start the season and admits their hopes hinge very largely on the availability of their GFC players.

‘It’s been tough and we haven’t recruited as many as we would have liked.

‘It [the new season] has come around quick and pre-season has been challenging and disorganised’.

Romeril, who says it is a ‘bit of miracle that they are on the start line’ also plumps for St Martin’s.

‘They were a class above last season and looking at them from outside they seem the most organised, they are the fittest. I don’t know how Leon keeps so many players happy.’

Alderney’s Josh Concanen will not have his brother Steve alongside him this year but is encouraged by the return to the fold of Romanian striker Marian State and the Guernsey fire fighter Richard Moore.

‘Hopefully this year we will be back flying and fresh,’ said Concanen who is delighted to have State back and Jermaine Parry fully fit after the shoulder problems that plagued him last season.

‘I’m looking for us to be really competitive. I’d like us to be back in the top three, pushing for the league again.’

‘I would imagine it [the league] will be as competitive as ever. I am not sure who has kept their players.’

Vale Rec’s Craig Tyrrell is hopeful of better times and is encouraged by the return of Jacques Wilcox, although the loss of stalwart Rory Moriarty is a blow.

‘We want to finish a lot higher than last year and I think on our day we are a match for everyone.

While Tyrrell targets a cup and a top-four finish he sees the title going the way of Saints or Rovers.

‘It’s hard to see those past two due to the volume of players they have got. But I’d put Saints as favourites.’