STANLEY midfielder Piero Mingoia believes the Reds can do more than just survive as they prepare for a first taste of League One football.

The 26-year-old rejoined John Coleman's men this summer after spending two years at Cambridge United.

Mingoia left the Wham Stadium following a play-off defeat to AFC Wimbledon in 2016. Two years on the Reds stormed to the League Two title and a place in the third tier, and the wideman can't wait to get started.

“This is an ambitious group,” he told the Lancashire Telegraph.

"What the team achieved last year was a great achievement.

Accrington Stanley are league champions. They are going to want to compete in League One and there is a winning mentality here so hopefully we can have a good season."

Mingoia knows he faces a tough task to reclaim his spot in the starting XI given the form of the likes of Sean McConville and Jordan Clark last season.

The Reds play their first pre-season game of the summer at home to Huddersfield Town on Saturday and Mingoia is ready to work hard in training and in the friendly matches to catch the eye of Coleman.

"I want to try and be in the team for the first game of the season, it won't be easy as the team did really well last year and there a lot of good players in but all I can do is keep working hard in training.

"If I am not in the team for the first game then try to get in it for the second game or the third game.

"When the chance comes along I want to be ready to take it."

Mingoia joins a settled Stanley squad that has so far lost only goalkeeper Aaron Chapman from the core of last season's title-winning squad.

And the midfielder believes the stability brought to the Wham Stadium by owner Andy Holt has helped fuel success on the pitch under the guidance of Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell.

"It must be so much easier for the gaffer or Jimmy to make plans," Mingoia added. "It was always difficult with one year contracts and people coming and going all the time so it is good to have that stability at the club now and it has paid off with winning the title last season."