THE pressure is on Prestatyn Town boss Neil Gibson to deliver JD Welsh Premier League football following a large number of high-profile signings.

The Seasiders’ can now be considered as FAW Northern Championship title favourites after securing the services of some talented familiar faces that are no stranger to success within the set-up.

This is obviously great news for everyone associated with the club, but make no mistake, this comes with a significant increase in expectation not only from their own fan base, but also the wider footballing community.

Big money has already been spent to get these high-profile players back to the fold, with chairman Neal Colakoglu’s “open budget” being utilised by Gibson as he looks to get the Seasiders’ back to the promised land at the second time of asking.

Gibson is no doubt fully aware of the need for success this season given this investment, and he has turned to former players that he knows can be relied upon to perform consistently in what is regarded as the most competitive division anywhere in the Welsh football pyramid.

Midfield talisman Michael Parker is going to be a hugely influential figure throughout the campaign following a season away at Connah’s Quay Nomads, with the forward duo of Jordan Davies and Jack Kenny also looking to pick up where they left off prior to their respective departures from the squad.

Kai Edwards’ experience at the very top of the domestic game is going to be another massive shot in the arm for the ambitious squad, and Rob Hughes’ determination and ability to be a real factor in the midfield engine room giving them a bite that was sorely missing at times last term.

All these signings, plus the likes of Ian Griffiths, skipper Alex Jones and Dave Hayes committing themselves to the club, leaves them in a very strong position ahead of their season opener, but they are going to have to perform at the best of their abilities almost every time they take the field to ensure their goals are met.

The introduction of Colwyn Bay, the emergence of Flint Town United as a real force and the relegation of Llandudno have made the second tier fiercer than ever before, but what Gibson has going for him is that he has the majority of Town’s 2016 Huws Gray Alliance title-winning team to call upon, together with energetic young players that can also play a part.

Many of the mentioned clubs have gone through major squad overhauls during the summer that could see them take a while to familiarise themselves on the pitch, but this will not be a problem for the Prestatyn squad which could be crucial during the opening battle for supremacy.

Everybody knows that the Seasiders’ have big plans and have spent accordingly, and this has given them a huge bullseye on their back that could bring its own complications.

This is nothing that Gibson or the vast majority of squad haven’t experienced before, and, at least on paper, they appear to be the team to beat.