PRESTATYN Town’s first-team manager Ryan Turner has welcomed the Football Association of Wales’ decision for the JD Cymru North to finally get underway next month.

The defending champions will get the chance to retain their crown won in convincing fashion last season due to their inability to attain a Tier 1 Domestic Licence from the FAW and secure their place in the top-flight, which led to the resignation of boss Neil Gibson and almost every member of their title-winning squad departing for pastures new.

Turner was given the reins by chairman Jamie Welsh and a host of high-profile names have been brought into the club in pursuit of another bold bid this time around during what is set to be a busy schedule for Tier 2 clubs across the country.

The respected coach is confident that the Seasiders’ can be highly competitive thanks to the plans developed across the board in readiness for a competitive return.

He said: “As a club we believe it’s good news as it has been a busy few weeks behind the scenes sourcing and signing players and now we have a proposed start date we’ve got a target to work towards in terms of the on field planning rather than the unknown.

“Hopefully, we can get the go-ahead soon to start training together as a squad and play some friendlies before the proposed start date. At the moment, I’ve set the players individual fitness tasks and asked them to stay as fit as possible in readiness.

“Training will also give us the opportunity to start implementing how we want to play.”

Turner revealed how difficult it has been to form a new squad with so much uncertainty regarding whether the league would get underway before the FAW’s announcement, but stated that every club in the second-tier is in the same situation with regards to not having a normal preparation period before league fixtures begin.

“It’s also been frustrating not being able to train as a group but the players are competing and pushing each other on the zoom fitness sessions and the lads are in good spirits on the group chat,” he added.

“Everyone I’ve spoken to associated with local football wanted the league to start. Now there is a proposed start date it’s given everybody an incentive.

“It’s going to be difficult without a full pre-season of preparation but all clubs in the league are in the same situation.”