Abingdon Town have an extra incentive to go for promotion as they kick off a new campaign in Ryman League Division 3 at Hornchurch tomorrow.

League restructuring for the 2002-2003 campaign will see Division 1, Division 2 and the top six from Division 3 merged into two regional first divisions.

And that means if Town were to be in the leading sextet come next May, they would effectively leap up two divisions and could then be playing the likes of Oxford City and Thame United.

Manager Alan Thorne said: "It is a very important season. We think we have every chance of going up.

Thorne has recruited the equivalent of a whole new team during the summer with 11 signings.

They include four players he led out at Wembley - when assistant to Oxford City boss Andy Thomas - for the 1995 FA Carlsberg Vase final in goalkeeper Mickey Torres, Jon Muttock, Paul Sherwood and Jimmy Hamilton.

Hamilton is missing tomorrow due to work, while Alex Creer faces a fitness test after dislocating his shoulder.

INS AND OUTS

In: J Muttock (Brackley Tn), I Concannon (AFC Wallingford), P Sherwood (Carterton Tn), A Field (Bicester Tn), S Kerr (Hungerford Tn), A Creer, A Scanes (both Oxford City Res), J Hamilton, G Best, B White, M Torres.

Out: None of note.

Verdict: Ready to rise again after a spell in the doldrums.