YORK City manager Gary Mills believes the club’s season will start with the visit of Newport County tomorrow afternoon.

Delivering a broadside to anybody doubting his side’s ability to claim a Blue Square Bet Premier play-off position with six games left to play, Mills insisted this weekend is only the beginning of what he now hopes to achieve in 2010/11.

City currently lie three points behind fifth-placed Kidderminster and also boast games in hand on Wrexham and Fleetwood, who are fourth and sixth respectively.

All three of the Minstermen’s closest rivals also face away fixtures tomorrow with Wrexham at Rushden, Kidderminster visiting Grimsby and Eastbourne entertaining Fleetwood.

A determined Mills said: “Some people have asked me whether the season’s over now but that’s so much bunkum. I’ve told them the season starts tomorrow.

“I’m regarding the last six months as the longest pre-season I’ve had in my life. There’s everything to play for and I’m looking at Newport as our first game of the season. I’ve got that same feeling of excitement.

“We have four home games left now and, if we can get 12 points from them, that takes us to 75, which won’t be far away come the end of the season.

“We’ve won nine and drawn one of our last ten at Bootham Crescent so we’re more than capable of winning our last four here and I’m positive that if we pick up three points tomorrow, we can move closer to one of the teams above us.”

Mills has also highlighted the part City’s home fans can play in helping the team meet their goals this month following a crowd of 3,060 for Tuesday night’s clash with table-topping Crawley.

He added: “I’ve liked the atmosphere of the crowd ever since I came here but I liked it even more on Tuesday night when they played a massive part in our performance.

“To get 3,000 at the ground showed the people of York are still hungry for success and I want them to come back tomorrow because their vocal support was superb.

“We are hoping to achieve things this season but won’t be able to do that without them.”

Mills has challenged his team to extend their lead should they open the scoring against Newport.

His players have forged ahead in their last two matches against Kettering and Crawley, only to end up drawing 1-1 both times.

The Minstermen have also only managed to score more than one goal just once in their last seven matches.

“Tuesday night was a fantastic performance but I was disappointed not to get a second goal,” Mills said. “If you don’t get another, you always run the risk of conceding a deflected goal like we did on Tuesday.”

City were on the wrong end of a 4-0 thrashing by Newport back in October under the caretaker stewardship of youth-team coach Steve Torpey.

It was the final match before Mills took over the managerial reins and he is hoping his players will underline how much progress has been made since.

He added: “There was talk of revenge when we played Mansfield after losing 5-0 there and the lads showed them we are a different side during an exceptional second half. They have to do the same against Newport now for their own pride and for a vital three points.

“Newport have won a couple of games of late but I’m not worried about them. At home, whether the opposition is Histon, Eastbourne or Crawley, we know we are capable of beating them.”

City have a fully-fit squad although Danny Racchi will not figure after being released.

About the former Bury midfielder’s departure, Mills explained: “Danny Racchi thought he should be in my side and I told him I didn’t think he should be, so he’s no longer with us. That’s the long and short of it and I can’t be any clearer than that.

“When I first came to the club, he was lively and did well but that’s fizzled out a bit. Subsequently, he hasn’t played as many games as he would have liked.”

Right-back Liam Darville was preferred against Crawley and Mills suggested the ex-Leeds United defender could continue in that role for Newport’s visit.

He said: “Liam has good energy and has a hunger and love for the game.

“He has the temperament and desire of a winner. I have an abundance of midfielders but I know he can do a job.”