Dunston UTS manager Billy Irwin says that the team is making a fresh start this season.

Dunston finished sixth and reached the last 16 of the Vase last season, but Irwin decided to replace some of the older players in the team.

“We had eleven players over the age of 32 in the squad, so we decided that it was time for a fresh start and to push on.

“I think that we’ve made seven good signings, especially in the forward line because Andy Bulford was nearly doing it all on his own last season.

“Everyone at the club is excited, but we all know that the league will be tough again. Any one of seven or eight clubs can win it.

“The same clubs will all be aiming to do well in the Vase, but the Northern League clubs might be knocking each other out because of the way that the draw is made.

“Look what happened last season. North Shields beat four other clubs from the Northern League before they played somebody from outside of our area, and even though we had exemption to the second round, we still had to beat two more Northern League clubs before we played in the fifth. I think that something is taken from the value of the Vase when so many Northern League clubs are playing each other.

“We’d love an FA Cup run, and get a good draw against somebody like Darlington along the way.”