HIS team may only have played their last game a week ago, but Barnoldswick Town boss Danny Craig has already drawn up his pre-season plans.

He was determined that his club didn’t get left behind as their campaign was two weeks longer than all their Hallmark Security League Premier Division rivals due to their appearance in the Macron Cup final.

The penalty shoot-out defeat by City of Liverpool ended their hopes of silverware, but Craig believes the form that his team showed in the Macron Cup and in their later league games, should give the players a boost for next season.

Craig said: “I have worked out what I want to do in each of our training sessions and worked out the dates for pre-season friendlies.

“My next job is to look at potential targets as well as working to retain the players we already have.

“We know that this is a strong league and we need more strength in depth if we are to challenge the likes of Padiham, Runcorn Town, Runcorn Linnets, Bootle and Northwich while the newly-promoted sides City of Liverpool and Widnes are well resourced.

“There will be competition for the best players and I am sure we will have other clubs looking at our players.

“It is all part of the challenge for us.”