THE York Minster Engineering League season kicks off on Saturday and is expected to be one of the most competitive for years.

Managerial changes at some of the premier division teams and players moving on to higher levels promises to open up the 2017/18 title race, although newly-promoted pair Poppleton United and Hemingbrough may find the going tough for different reasons.

Poppleton have lost boss Christian Fox, who now occupies the hot seat at Selby Town, where players Joe Dale and Luke Wilkinson have joined him.

Fox has, though, been replaced by Tosh Reid, who will be assisted by ex-Darlington and Whitby player Alex Janes, with the former likely to draw on the experience of dad and former Pickering, Tadcaster and Selby chief Jimmy Reid should he struggle in his new role.

The Hemingbrough squad is the same as last season with the addition of Dave Howard, Nathan Parker and Andy Addison, but relocating to Selby Town from their home ground, which did not meet premier division criteria, might lead to a period of adjustment.

Last term’s struggling trio Copmanthorpe, Tadcaster Magnets and York RI have made no significant signings.

Copmanthorpe have, instead, lost three players in long-serving Cawood-bound Matty Bastock and Alex Mcrae, while Lewis Chipchase has joined RI, who will be targeting greater consistency.

Simon Wood, manager of Magnets, will keep faith with last season’s young squad and hopes his players are maturing after some encouraging results at the end of the campaign, including a victory over champions Wigginton Grasshoppers.

Sporting Knavesmire continue to lose the players that moved up the divisions with manager John Dale, while Church Fenton are looking to improve on their mid-table finish following the appointment of new manager Matt Wilson.

F1 Racing, Malton & Norton and Osbaldwick all had good seasons last time out.

The latter finished strongly and, with Danny Penrose and Chris Bilton in their ranks, along with the additions of Danny Snaith and Paul Crangle from Huntington and Dunnington respectively, can look forward to improved fortunes.

F1 Racing have retained the same squad with some new additions.

Manager Ian Yeowart has stated that the emphasis will again be on youth, although the rumoured loss of Chris Dempsey to Selby will be a blow.

Stability has been achieved at Malton & Norton, but the expected frontrunners will remain Wigginton, Old Malton St Mary's, Huntington, Dunnington and Dringhouses.

Gary Kitson and Andy Barkway’s Dringhouses could be in contention if they are able to field their best team every week.

The Mulhearn lads remain on the radar of Northern Counties East League outfits, but goalkeeper George Catlin has been added to the ranks.

James Hudson is also back from university, but Sam Drake will be missing after starting his degree.

Dunnington have changed manager with Mike Noble being assisted by Kieron O’Brien and Tom Richards.

The new management team will be looking for a bigger challenge this term, having arguably underachieved during 2016-17.

At Huntington, ex-York City and Huddersfield striker Iain Dunn has stepped down as manager, with long-serving players Pete Laidlaw and Chris Dyson taking over the reins.

They have overseen a recruitment drive that has secured the signatures of Elliot Fenton, Bailey Fleming, John Nelson and 16-year-old Finley Burbridge.

Rovers have topped the table at the turn of the last two years, but seen their championship challenge falter against so-called lesser teams in February and March.

Eliminating the draws – they shared the spoils 11 times last season – could be the key to Old Malton reclaiming the title they have won in the past.

Former Bootham Crescent midfielder Darren Dunning is again at the helm and his professional attitude towards every game has helped them become one of the toughest teams to beat during the last decade.

Wigginton, who came out on top in 2017 having been runners-up 12 months earlier, are arguably the league’s best footballing team and have strengthened with Jake Duckworth welcomed into the squad.

Two players have moved to Rawcliffe, but managers Graham Ireton and Steve Holt will still be targeting first place.