Harpenden Town are back in action on Saturday with their first pre-season friendly and manager Micky Nathan has designs on another high-placed finish for the season.

They go to Walthamstow for a behind-closed-doors game ahead of the proposed September 5 start for the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division.

And the Harps boss sees no reason why they can’t better the sixth place they were in last year when the league was declared null and void.

Speaking to the club’s social media channels, Nathan said: “Our aspirations need to be to push as high as we can. The players that we are bringing in have got the ability to keep this club where it has been for two of the last three seasons.

“We should be looking for top five without a shadow of a doubt.

“I just want to keep doing what we’re doing, keep flying under the radar, and then let everybody else worrying about what we are doing.”

The first training session provided the perfect opportunity to announce the first group of players to commit to a season with the Harps.

The retained list so far sees Jake Collins, Alex Desmond, Joe Devaney, Nathan McGreevy, Dan Palmer, Ryan Plowright, Warren Plowright, George Robinson, Harvey Scott and Toby Syme return to Rothamsted Park while the first new signing is Henry Snee.

He bagged 38 goals in 35 games last season playing for Shefford Town & Campton in Division One.

And Nathan believes the squad is more than capable of meeting the goals set of them.

“Everyone is here and everyone seems to be enjoying it,” said the gaffer, who was handed the reins at the club following Martin Standen’s departure to Bedford Town.

“We’ve had numerous conversations as a management and we are all pulling in the same direction.

“We want to be as strong as we can be this season. We have to look after ourselves and we will be putting together a strong squad with the players we are bringing in and the ones we are looking at.

“If we get it right on our side this year with our philosophy, we’ll be as good as anybody else.

“We just need to push that into the players.”

Warren Plowright said: “I can’t wait to get the season started. Lockdown has been tough but I just want to get as fit as possible and play as many games as possible.”