Clydebank manager Gordon Moffat admits starting with a home game this season is a refreshing feeling as they aim to make their own patch a fortress once again.
The Bankies had the best home form in the league last season and will kick off their 2023/24 campaign at Holm Park when recently promoted Benburb visits on Saturday.
Bankies have been handed tricky opening day contests away to past champions and recently promoted sides in the last couple of seasons but will be looking to get three points in front of their own fans this weekend.
And after starting well in recent seasons, Moff wants his side to continue that trend at Holm.
Speaking to the Post, he said: “We’re starting with a home game this year which is a nice bonus.
“In the last two seasons we have been starting away with tough ties against Auchinleck and Arthurlie but we’ve come out with points so I’m not too concerned about it.
“I’m more focussed on us and being ready for whatever challenge comes.
“Starting with a home game is great but at the end of the day we need to play fifteen teams so I’d rather just focus on us and make sure we are ready.”
Bankies rounded off their pre-season campaign against East of Scotland Premier League side Jeanfield Swifts on Saturday and ran out 3-1 winners.
Lee Gallacher fired in a free-kick to equalise before the break and the hosts left it late to find the winner with an own goal and Larry McMahon scoring in the final minutes.
Kick-off in Clydebank’s season opener with Benburb on Saturday is at 2.00pm.
Elsewhere, Yoker Athletic boss Gordon Robertson is relishing his side's challenging start to the season.
The Whe Ho kick off their Second Division campaign in the West of Scotland Football League with a trip to St Anthony’s on Saturday before welcoming recently relegated Cumbernauld United to Holm Park a few days later.
It’s then a double header of fixtures against sides who were promoted from the Third Division last season as Vale of Clyde and Ardrossan Winton Rovers await in game weeks three and four.
Yoker has warmed up for the new season with positive friendly results against teams from a league above as they picked up a win over Kilbirnie Ladeside and drew with Thorniewood.
The Holm Park side's final pre-season results saw them draw 2-2 with Vale of Leven on Saturday before a 1-0 loss with a Hamilton Accies XI on Monday.
Yoker will be looking to build on last season's sixth-place finish in the division however Robbo believes that the league has improved in quality since then.
Speaking to the Post, he said: “I think it’s going to be a stronger league than it was last year; you look at Ardrossan and Vale of Clyde coming who will be strong, and then the teams who got relegated from the Championship with Bonnyton, Rossvale and Cumbernauld and they will all be good.
“A few teams will be thinking they’re going for promotion. Two of the teams who I think will be up there are Cumbernauld and Ardrossan Winton Rovers, and we have them both in our first five games.
“It’s a tough opening but you’ve got to play them all at some point.
“On paper it looks like a tough opening set of fixtures but I would say bring it on, we want to get into it and test ourselves and see where it takes us.”
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