THE new football season begins on Saturday as Chorley FC look to start their campaign with the same energy and enthusiasm that saw them lift the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League trophy in April.

The Magpies host Lowestoft Town at Victory Park to open the Vanarama Conference North season before a pair of away matches at Colwyn Bay and Oxford City on August 12 and August 16.

They then entertain Stalybridge Celtic on August 23 before travelling north to face Barrow on Bank Holiday Monday (August 25).

Garry Flitcroft’s title winners conclude a busy month by hosting Brackley Town on August 30.

Chorley can look forward to playing ex-Football League side Stockport County on November 11 at Victory Park. Other notable dates include matches against Bradford Park Avenue on Boxing and New Years Day, Barrow on Easter Monday and finishing the season at home to Solihull Moors on April 25, 2015.

Pre-season went well for the Magpies as they took on a number of Football League sides including Blackburn and Bolton, only missing out by the odd goal. In the matches against three non-league sides in pre-season, Chorley were undefeated.

The club have been boosted over the summer with inspirational captain Andrew Teague signing a new contract and also securing a deal for centre forward James Dean to remain at the club.

Chorley will be hoping that similar results follow and that they can emulate the start they had to their title winning season last year, in which they were undefeated in their first eight games and lost only two in the run-up to the turn of the year.