Alfreton Town manager Nicky Law has selection headaches of the best kind as the Reds begin the new Blue Square North campaign at Farsley Celtic this Saturday.
The Reds manager has a full strength squad to choose from and has competition for places all over the park following six high quality summer signings.
The Reds go into the 2009/10 campaign on the back of a very good pre-season campaign which has seen them turn over three professional clubs at the Impact Arena.
The latest was last Friday night when a superb all-round performance from Law’s side saw them dispose of a mixed Derby County XI 3-0 in front of 819 at the Impact Arena.
Goals came from Ian Ross on 7 minutes, Richard Pell just a minute later and Liam Hearn on 84 minutes gave Alfreton a much deserved victory which could have finished by a far bigger margin but the second half heroics of former Manchester United keeper Roy Carroll in the Rams` goal.
The Reds have also recorded a 3-0 home win over Mansfield Town and a 1-0 success over
Macclesfield Town at the Impact Arena.
Law (pictured) has seen all his squad show really well over the pre-season games and he is now left with several quandaries before the kick-off in West Yorkshire on Saturday.
He has choices to make in central defence where he has to pick from new signing Richard Pell, Aden Flint and Matt Wilson.
It is even tighter in central midfield with Ian Ross, Mattie Burke, Anton Brown and Tom Cutis vying for two places.
Up front, Law is spoilt for choice with last season’s forty-eight-goal pairing of Paul Clayton and Liam Hearn both under threat from new signings Damian Reeves and Anthony Howell who have also been amongst the goals in the friendlies.
And, having been installed as joint favourites for the title at the short odds of just 6/1, the Reds know there will be increased expectations from their own fans, but that they will also come under close scrutiny from within the rest of the division having ended last season with a best ever finishing place of third which brought a first ever appearance in the play-offs.
Law won’t be losing too much sleep over what others think though. He has built a squad packed with experience and fire power and one where he has lots of options.
And with a back-up keeper still to be secured, there will be at least one more new face coming into the equation over the next few days or so.
