Farsley had just one season on non-league's top table before their relegation in April, but they developed a taste for the fayre on offer and want more at the first available opportunity.

The West Leeds club sent out a clear message of intent this summer, snapping up the likes of midfielders Tom Penford and Craig Bentham from Bradford City and former Middlesbrough and Cardiff striker Andy Campbell.

Deacey is confident his squad is the best he has ever had at his disposal – but the proof of the pudding will come at Stafford Rangers tomorrow when they begin their Blue Square North campaign.

Deacey said: "We have tried to keep the best of what we had last year and targeted a couple of areas where we needed to improve and I think we have achieved that. I would say it is a stronger squad than last season, a lot stronger.

"But it's alright having a good squad on paper, we have to produce in the games and we have a really, really tough start to the season.

"It is important to have a solid start, which we haven't managed in previous seasons. We haven't had one for the last four or five years and have been left playing catch-up and this time we really don't want to have to do that."

Deacey has lost strikers Damien Reeves and David McNiven from the squad which fell through the trapdoor, with Campbell and ex-Ossett Town man James Walshaw direct replacements for them.

Former Doncaster Rovers star Andy Watson has also made a successful conversion from a winger to a striker in pre-season with another new recruit, Matty James, filling his shoes out wide.

The arrival of Bentham, who had a successful loan spell at Throstle Nest last time round, and Penford has made competition for places in midfield especially strong, but veteran Simeon Bambrook looks to have found a new role at left-back with Deacey describing his pre-season as "exceptional".

Set to fill the right-back berth is Jamie Price, signed from league rivals Harrogate Town.

Deacey said: "The squad we have put together is a competitive squad and that's what we want to do, compete and really push for a play-off place.We have had a taste of the Conference and we want more of it and winning promotion has to be our aim.

"We want the fan-base we picked up last season to get right behind us.