THERE will be a handful of Darlington debutants in the new-look team at the beginning of a new era that starts the season today.

Tommy Wright starts his first full season as Quakers’ manager and, having overseen a mid-season makeover after being appointed last October, he made more changes over the summer.

Seven players signed and 12 departed, though James Caton will take that tally to 13 when he leaves on loan.

Having made his mark, 11 of the 18-man squad were signed by Wright and he says there is now nobody at the club that he does not want.

He said: “Without a shadow of a doubt it’s my squad. There is nobody here that I don’t want to be here so it’s my squad and there are no excuses there.

“They’re looking bright so it’s up to the boys now. They are undoubtedly good players, nobody can turn around and say anything else.

“We’ve experimented a little bit in pre-season, we’ve mixed it up with the shape, but we’ve trained this week, we’re comfortable where we’re going with it and the lads more or less know the team now.

“I think they are looking forward to it, but talk is cheap. We all want a good season and it’s about 3pm on Saturday now when the whistle blows to see how much the lads really want it.”

Most of Wright’s seven signings are due to play some part today, either in the starting XI or as substitutes at Blackwell Meadows against Curzon Ashton.

Tom Elliott was the last of his recruits, the former Nuneaton midfielder, and he is expected to line up alongside fellow new recruit Liam Hughes, most recently with Billericay but most notably with Cambridge United in League Two.

Jonny Maddison is Darlington’s new No. 1, the Chester-le-Street-born goalkeeper having joined from Yeovil Town, but there will be no Jonny Burn due to injury.

Wright explained: “He will probably need a scan next week. He fell badly in the friendly against Middlesbrough, the striker ducked out of something and he landed on his coccyx, so he’s a bit sore, a bit tender. The game was two weeks ago and he’s still feeling it.”

Dom Collins will partner Terry Galbraith in the centre of defence, and attacking right-back Luke Trotman will start having missed the final two friendlies due to being on holiday.

Being on holiday means Stephen Thompson is unavailable, but Jordan Nicholson, last season with Barnet, is in contention to start after overcoming an ankle knock.

Simon Ainge had a minor wrist issue last weekend so sat out the Legends game and so too did Harvey Saunders (heel) but both are available today, as is Dave Syers having recovered from a glute problem that saw him limp out of the Middlesbrough friendly.

“He’s come back better than we thought,” added Wright. “We had been quite concerned about him, but he returned to training on Tuesday and he was outstanding.”