SWAFFHAM TOWN will begin their new Eastern Counties League campaign at Saffron Walden Town on Saturday, August 11.

Division One of the competition now sponsored by Thurlow Nunn, starts a week after the Premier Division – in which newly-promoted Thetford Town are also due to start against Essex opposition, in their case at home to Wivenhoe Town.

Before then the Pedlars have no shortage of friendlies to get them up to speed.

They started at RAF Marham on Wednesday and continue at home to Haverhill Leisure Centre on Saturday (kick off 3pm).

Thurlow Nunn Premier Division club Gorleston are the visitors to Shoemakers Lane next Tuesday (7.45pm) with a visit to Anglian Combination team Reepham on the Thursday (7.30pm).

Huntingdon Town are the visitors on Tuesday, July 31 before Yaxley at home on Saturday, August 4 (3pm).

Thetford, meanwhile, continued their build up towards their return to the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division with a 3-1 friendly win over a Needham Market XI on Thursday and a 0-0 home draw with Wroxham on Tuesday.

Needham Market sent a young team to Mundford Road, but Thetford manager Mark Scott described it as 'very impressive with lots of technically gifted players.'

Goals from three of last season's promotion winning heroes – Matt Dixon, Steve Harley and Volta Rocha – secured another morale boosting win for Thetford, who have one more friendly booked – at home to Downham on Tuesday, July 31.

Scott has several new signings in the pipeline to improve the depth of his squad for the Premier Division challenge, but the one he rates as 'the big one' is former Needham Market left-back Ben Wake, who has joined from Clacton.

'Ben has good experience and is a great character to have around,' said Scott. 'He will be a good addition.'

Thetford, meanwhile, have announced Mundford Road admission prices for the new season. Season tickets, which include entry to all reserve as well as first team games, cost �95 (�48 for conessions).

Match day prices are �5 for adults / �3 concessions for first team games and �3/�1 for reserves.

The recent annual meeting confirmed the following officers for the news season: President Mrs Jean Nixon, Chairman Mick Bailey, Vice Chairman Nigel Armes, Secretary Bob Richards, Treasurer Jane Richards, Welfare Officer Sara Bolton, General Committee – Steve Dick, Mark Bolton, Trevor Coleman, Ian Brown, Richard Neighbour, Jeff Hyne and Lesley Coombs.