Waterford FC make their return to League of Ireland Premier Division action tomorrow night when they take on Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
The sides had some close encounters last season, and it's sure to be a fascinating battle again tomorrow as both sides bid to pick up three points on opening night.
Manager Keith Long is looking forward to getting the season underway.
"Nothing beats the real thing and competitive games, so we're really excited to get the season going and we're looking forward to seeing how we get on in Sligo. A tough venue, a tough team to face on the opening night of the season, but we'll go there. We've worked extremely hard in pre-season and the boys have really bought into what we try to do and the information that we've given them and hopefully that will stand to them when we face Sligo on Saturday."
"I'm excited to see some of the new boys that we've brought in", Long continued. "Let's see what they can bring to the team. Obviously, it's going to be a very tough challenge this year. Look at all the teams around us that have strengthened and we've assembled a squad of players and we want to try and be as positive as we can and be as competitive as we can. We know we need that to be on day one against Sligo on Saturday. We need to be prepared for a really motivated team at home with the home support really, really behind them, but we're excited. We're looking forward to the campaign."
Among the new signings at Waterford FC is defender Andy Boyle, and he is excited to get started in a blue shirt.
"We'll be going up with the mindset of trying to get a positive result. We've obviously looked into them this week as best we can. They've got a few new players through the door, but we'll be well prepared. We've got a lot of lads that have played in the league against Sligo numerous times before, so we'll have that bit of experience going into it. It's about what we do and what we bring to the table on Saturday night and if we do that, we're confident that we can get a positive result."
Sligo boss John Russell is expecting a tough encounter against Waterford FC and wants to make home advantage count at the Showgrounds.
"We're under no illusions. The league is very competitive - strong squads with Cork coming up now as well. We just have to make sure we're picking up results, especially at home. That'll be key for us. There's been a few changes there as well in terms of personnel. We'll have to do our work and do our analysis, but it's good for us. It's a home game, home support and we'll be looking to get off to a good start."
WLR will bring you the game LIVE tomorrow night thanks to John Murphy Carpets. Join Ray Scott and John Frost for LIVE coverage from 7.30pm.
