DARLINGTON manager Alun Armstrong admits he has a massive headache over his team selection for his side's opening game of the season against Curzon Ashton tomorrow.

Quakers have been handed a tricky start against the Tameside outfit, who have won on each of their last three visits to Blackwell Meadows.

The manager will include at least six of his new signings in the squad for tomorrow’s game - defenders Toby Lees from Blyth and Jordan Mustoe from Warrington Rylands, midfielder Tom Platt from Boston, strikers Mitchell Curry from Hartford in the USA and Cameron Salkeld from Clyde, and teenager Kenzie Harker, who has come through the club’s academy. Another new signing, Jordan Windass, will have a fitness test on a hamstring injury.

Armstrong is pleased with the way Quakers’ pre-season preparations have progressed, with games against Tadcaster, Newton Aycliffe, Middlesbrough, Harrogate and Marske United, as well as several strenuous training sessions in the six weeks.

"I’m delighted with how pre-season has gone," he said. "The lads have come through it unscathed, and nothing major in terms of injury which is massive for us.

"They’re raring to go after a great week’s training after our last friendly and then they had some bonding at York Races last Saturday. They’ve got to know each other a lot more, which is a big help.

"There are a few new players who have come in and they’ve got to try and make connections with each other. We’ve worked a lot on shape and swopping people about in matches and in training in case we get injuries and we have to deal with them.

"It’s given me a massive headache because when everyone is fit, what formation will we play and how are we going to play? It’s a big thing having a small squad, and making sure that lads can play in more than their normal position.

"Jordan Mustoe can play in a few, so can Jordan Windass, Tom Platt can play centre-half as well as in midfield, Cameron Salkeld can play in the middle three.  We were maybe quite rigid last season in how we played, this group has given me lots of flexibility and massive headaches. I believe that the new players make us a lot stronger."

Quakers were top of the table at Christmas last season, but fell away in the second half of the season and finished in mid-table, partly because of the departure of top scorer at the time, Mark Beck, to Solihull.

"Consistency will get us through," added Armstrong. "It doesn’t matter how you start and how you finish. We were fantastic in the first half of the season, but in the second half of the season we were nowhere near the same levels. We know the reasons in-house.

"Last season has gone now, it’s a clean slate for everybody and we start again. The lads who were here last season, want to make up for it again this season."

Armstrong expects fierce competition again this season, especially as another former Football League team, Scunthorpe, are now in Quakers’ division after being relegated last season, and that will inevitably bring back memories for older fans of past matches, particularly in 1989, 1991 and 1996.

"The full-time teams will be up there," said the Quakers boss. "They will always come to the front and be there at the end of the season. I remember that Kidderminster didn’t have a great start last season, but they had a great run at the end of the season, and look what happened – they won promotion through the play-offs.

"I’ll be really surprised if Scunthorpe aren’t in the top seven. Buxton have signed some really good players, Boston will be a bit of an unknown because they’ve signed a few youngish lads. South Shields have come up, and they will be in the mix.

"We want to cling on to the mix, and if we can keep everyone fit and firing, we should be in there. If we have a good cup run to bring some money in and keep the squad together, then that will help. If we don’t have a cup run, then we might have to lose a player. The club is the most important thing."