The Whites enter their second-ever season at Step 4 with renewed optimism after a consolidating 12th placed finish last term after promotion from the North West Counties League.

Steve Akrigg and Kev Towey's side ended last season with three straight league wins, and despite mixed results in pre-season, the co-bosses will be looking to build on momentum beginning with the opening day at Ramsbottom.

Work behind the scenes has been measured during the summer as the co-bosses have recruited eight new faces and tinkered with different systems ahead of the new term.

Josh Klein-Davies, Lewis Buckley, Sam Heathcote, Danny Shaw, Jake Phillips, James Steele, Fisnik Hajdari and Keenan Quansah have all been brought into a squad that has bid farewell to popular servants George Lomax, Richie Mottram and Sean Myler.

Phil Doran and Phil Mooney have also departed, while loanees Finlay Sinclair-Smith and Niall Watson returned to their parent clubs.

Operating with either a 4-3-3, a 4-4-2 diamond or a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Whites have endured a mixed pre-season as Akrigg and Towey tinkered with new systems ahead of Saturday's opener.

Widnes are boosted by a virtually fully fit squad. New signing Heathcote is a long-term injury concern, while Mike Burke is doubtful with a calf problem that ruled him out of the Whites' loss at Buxton last week.

Towey and Danny Ventre both serve suspensions picked up at the end of last season, but everyone else is otherwise available.

Ramsbottom, meanwhile, will harbour ambitions of automatic promotion after losing out in the play-off semi-final at Radcliffe last season.

Chris Willcock begins his first full season in charge of Rammy, and will be looking to replicate the form that propelled them to the play-offs and a fine FA Trophy run after replacing Mark Fell in October.

The Rams have suffered been dealt a blow with the loss of key players Jamie Rainford, Tony Donaldson and Ryan Ellison, but Willcock has secured the services of forward Nic Evangelinos for another season and signed strikers Karl Jones and Daniel Naidole.

Matchday Information

Supporters will be able to follow the action across the club’s usual official social media channels, while a match report and post-match reaction will be available after the full-time whistle.

Admission is pay on the gate priced at £8 adults and £4 concessions while children under-12 are admitted for £1.