BOSS Matty Holmes wants Wimborne Town to “excite and entertain” as they look to write the latest chapter in the Cuthbury record books.

Holmes – in his first season in management – guided Magpies to 11th place in Division One South & West of the Southern League, their highest finishing position.

Renamed Southern League West this season, Wimborne will be hoping to hit the ground running when they host Bishops Cleeve tomorrow (3pm).

Although a Football Association restructure of the non-league pyramid has created one, possibly two, extra promotion places in the division, Holmes has set his sights on a more realistic target.

He told the Daily Echo: “We are not looking at that and it is way out of our thoughts.

“It might be in the thoughts of the players but, to me, it is about trying to get one point and one place more than last season.

“We are what we are and the budget is what it is. It is a tough league and, as soon as you start thinking above your station, you are going to get your fingers burned and we can’t afford to do that.

“We have to grind out results and try to play our football when we can. Hopefully, we will have a good season."

Holmes added: “We all know Salisbury will be the strong team, like Hereford were last season. I expect Salisbury to take up that mantle but you can’t discount some of the other teams.

“I think it will be even tougher than last season because teams will think they have a real chance and will try to entice players. We just have to deal with what we have.

“I was happy with the boys last season and have kept the same squad.

“They know the way we want to try to play and, if we can excite and entertain and pick up results and be competitive, that is all I can ask.”

New signing Lee Francis from Barnstaple is expected to make his debut, while Dan Thompson could also feature.

Wimborne managed to fend off interest in star striker Toby Holmes over the summer, the frontman having plundered 31 goals in the Southern League last season.

Boss Matty Holmes added: "Toby took some time to think about other options over the summer. I spoke to him after six weeks and he was happy to stay so I was really pleased.

"I have told him his aim must be to try to score 30-plus goals for three or four seasons on the trot."

Magpies had a fruitful pre-season, beating Swanage Town & Herston, Christchurch, Gosport Borough, Verwood and Bashley with their only defeat coming against Weymouth.

The FA restructure will create an extra division at step three and four from the 2018-19 season.

For one season only, two teams will be automatically promoted from the six step four divisions – including the Southern League West where Wimborne compete. The same will apply for teams at step five.

The Southern League has agreed to run the division at step three and the Isthmian League will take charge of the extra division at step four.

The shake-up will also benefit those clubs which find themselves in a relegation scrap.

Only one club will be relegated from the three step three divisions this season.

From the six step four divisions, the six champions will be promoted alongside the six runners-up and six play-off winners.

The highest ranked third-placed team on a points-per-game basis will also go up, meaning that the team which finishes seventh in that division goes into the play-offs.