Hendon open the new season in good heart following an undefeated preseason friendly schedule. But as managers will always say that preseason matches count for nothing if you lose your first game.

In 2001, Hendon had big changes, in management and on the playing side, but this year has been remarkably quiet. Only 4 players from the squad at the end of last season have moved on, Gary McCann, Simon Clarke, Ross Pickett and Mark Burgess, and 3 new ones have come in, goalkeeper Dan Burton - in as back-up to David Hook - right-sided defender/midfielder Kieran Gallagher and striker Rob Haworth.

However, that does not tell the real story. Manager Dave Anderson actually made most of his changes in personnel during last season. From the starting line-up on the opening day of 2001-02, only David Hook, Micky Woolner, Paul Towler, Ricci Crace and Dale Binns are still with the club.

Iain Duncan is back after missing almost all of last season, recuperating from an injury at the end of the 2000-01 season, Jon-Barrie Bates and Paul Yates were not starters on the opening day, Eugene Ofori came into the side in September, Steve Butler, Mark Cooper, Steve Forbes, Martin Randall, Byron Bubb and Leon Woodruffe all arrived in late autumn or during the winter and squad members Pat Sappleton, James Burgess and Duncan Hamilton came through the reserves.

The Hendon squad is a good mix of youth and experience and Mr Anderson's teams may well prove to be one of the most entertaining in the Ryman League Premier Division. No less than 4 of the squad ended the seaon with double figures in goals, Randall, Crace, Binns and Ofori, while significant contributions also came from Forbes and Bubb.

For all the flair up front, the biggest improvement at Claremont Road last season came in the defence, where goalkeeper Hook won the Players Player of the Year behind central defenders Butler and Cooper, who formed an excellent partnership. Since coming together on 15 December 2001, the trio of Butler, Cooper and Hook conceded more than 1 goal in a game just 5 times in 25 games, and more than 2 once. After conceding 33 goals in 19 league games, Hendon allowed just 22 in the last 23 matches.

The bookmakers think that Hendon will certainly challenge for the championship, rating them at 4th favourites for the title behind, Aldershot, Canvey Island and Hayes.

Mr Anderson doesn't set his sights quite as high. Asked what his hopes for the season were, he said, "My first hope is to keep the club in the Premier Division. I reckon this season that the target will be 45 points and when we reach that we'll move on from there. Maybe we can win another cup or have a good cup run in either the FA Cup or FA Trophy then that would be a bonus."

"The team that we had at the start of last season I thought was good enough to compete in the League, but we realised quite quickly that it was not. This was a plus in some aspects because we spent up to Christmas turning the team around and bringing what we felt was needed.

"I am in a similar situation now in that I think the the squad - not just the team but the whole squad - we have got at the start of this season is good enough to finish in the top half of the table. If we don't do that - or if we start poorly again- then I will look to change it. But the way we finished last season, I would be reluctant to rip the squad apart because, if it's not broken, don't fix it.

"To be fair to the players I have brought in this season, two of them are very experienced. The players who are at the club deserve the chance to start the season."