WITH the countdown well under way to kick-off, Steve Yates believes Town are primed to make a bright start in Coca-Cola League 1.
The experienced centre-back - a keystone of Town's play-off promotion campaign - feels there's genuine momentum at the McAlpine.
At 34, Yates has seen little in the game to match the spirit and commitment under manager Peter Jackson and, as Town prepare to return to Macclesfield - scene of their worst nightmare in a 4-0 defeat last season - the ex-Sheffield United man is confident about the club's prospects.
"If we can carry on from the play-offs and from our performance at Rotherham in midweek then I'm sure we'll make a good start to the season," said Yates, who is all set to start in Saturday's friendly against Brian Horton's League II side.
"The momentum is there and, since we were hammered by Macclesfield last season, we've lost only four games, which is a tremendous record.
"We are stepping up a League and the standard will be a bit higher, but I reckon we can cope with that.
"The major difference will be that more teams will be challenging for the top six this season than there were in the Third Division last.
"A lot more teams will think they can win promotion, and that will make it much more competitive."
Yates - arguably Town's most consistent player over a season which finished in glory at Cardiff - remembers well the events of December 13 in Cheshire.
He was an unused substitute at Moss Rose and recalled: "That defeat was really the turning point of our season.
"We were completely hammered by Macclesfield that day and, when we all sat down in the changing room, a few things were said and we have never really looked back.
"We went from strength to strength after that and to lose only four games since is superb.
"The fact we've had only a short summer break because of the play-offs has meant the lads have quickly regained full fitness and we played really well against Rotherham, so I think we're well set to make a strong start."
Yates (pictured) has trained well in pre-season and was made captain for the friendly against Ossett Town at Ingfield.
He will feature in a largely unchanged senior squad on Saturday (1.00) although Jackson is waiting for a couple of injury worries to clear.
Midfielder Danny Schofield has been niggled by a groin problem since impressing in the 2-0 win at Millmoor, while striker Pawel Abbott has a slight hamstring strain which kept him out of last night's 1-1 draw at Farsley Celtic in which Akpo Sodje scored.
Jackson will make decisions on Sodje and fellow trialist Steve Haslam in the next 24 hours.
