YORK City are expected to face former player Louis Almond during tomorrow’s National League North curtain-raiser at Chorley.

But another Bootham Crescent old boy Wes Fletcher might need to be content with a place on the bench.

Almond has started the Magpies’ final three pre-season friendlies and is likely to partner last term’s 14-goal top scorer Marcus Carver in attack with both lining up as forwards in the 3-5-2 formation employed during Monday night’s 2-1 home defeat to Fleetwood.

The ex-Southport winger, who turned down a new short-term deal with the Minstermen at the end of last season, scored the first two goals and created the third in Chorley’s first warm-up contest – a 5-0 win at West Lancashire League outfit Euxton Villa.

No other player has managed to net more than once, otherwise, in pre-season with Fletcher yet to open his account following a move from Welsh Premier League club The New Saints.

He has also started the last two friendlies on the bench.

That opening pre-season win has been followed by a run of six matches without a victory ahead of the new campaign.

Along with the loss to Fleetwood, defeats have also been inflicted by Tranmere (1-0), Morecambe (5-0), Trafford (2-1) and Blackburn Under-23s (1-0), while last Saturday saw honours end even in a 1-1 draw against Marine.

With a defensive record that was the division’s second-best last season and a goals column that was the 17th lowest, it is no surprise that recruitment has been focussed on the top end of the pitch over the summer and, along with Almond and Fletcher, Telford’s Player of the Year Elliot Newby has been added to the squad and Josh Hine has returned to the club from Southport.

Another former City forward Jason Walker, now 34, has moved on to Workington, though, after netting 27 goals in 87 matches for Chorley.

Other departures from last term’s squad include Matty Hughes, Josh Gregory, Adam Roscoe and Kieran Charnock, while keeper Matt Urwin, an ever-present during a season-long loan from Fleetwood in which he kept 18 clean sheets, has returned to his parent club.

Cameron Belford is set to replace him between the sticks following a switch from Forest Green, while midfielder Courtney Meppen-Walter has also been signed from Glossop North End.

There has been a change in manager, meanwhile, with 36-year-old Jamie Vermiglio promoted from his role as assistant to Matt Jansen, who stepped down after three years in the job, during which time the team never lost more than two competitive games in a row.

Sixth-placed Chorley drew more matches – 14 – than any other side in National League North last term and, despite being reduced to ten men in the first half of their play-off semi-final at Harrogate Town, only succumbed 2-1 to their hosts in the 94th minute of stoppage time.

Vermiglio has fielded a three-man defence throughout pre-season, although former Manchester City centre-back Stephen Jordan is doubtful for tomorrow having missed the last two friendlies.

After City players complained last season about the Victory Park pitch, they might also be pleased to learn that new turf was laid over the summer.