Burnham Ramblers start their new season at Leslie Field on Saturday when Bury Academy are the visitors (kick off 3pm).

The Academy, who are sharing Bury Town's ground, are newcomers to the Essex Senior League, and are an outfit that develops the best young talent in the Bury St Edmunds area.

They will be a young but very skilful, organised side, but they may find senior league football a little too physical.

But this is a season of high hopes for Burnham who have a bigger and better squad than last season and a failure to improve on that last fourth place finish will be hugely disappointing for everyone at the club.

The selection will be interesting with manager Colin Wallington already facing some early dilemmas.

Nigel Hewes will probably partner Dean Francis up front, but the midfield is not easy to pick, mainly because of an abundance of talent in that area.

Fletcher is absent on holiday for the opener but that still leaves four to choose from Wright, Brown, Ellingford, Lovell, Marchant and Yoonan.

On Tuesday current league champions Bowers United are the visitors (kick off 7.45pm).

Now managed by ex-Ramblers hero John Warner, Bowers have lost a lot of last year's side and may not be the power they were.

Many of their better players accompanied manager Tony Cross when he moved across to Ryman League hopefuls Tilbury.

It is hard to predict who Ramblers' main rivals will be in the coming season.

Basildon looked well set a few weeks ago when they secured Billericay Town's former manager John Newman.

There was talk of big signings and a possible council sponsored move to Gloucester Park. However, Newman soon departed and several players with him.

Saffron Walden are likely to challenge again although they have lost Stuart Wordley to QPR, but gained £15,000 in the process

Sawbridgeworth too, look likely to be a useful outfit.

So it all begins again on Saturday. Is this the year Ramblers finally gain a top two finish and give themselves Ryman League football for their centenary season?

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.