Sidmouth Town boss Danny Burwood is looking forward to seeing how his young team takes to life in the new South West Peninsula League Premier East.

Town, who begin their campaign on Saturday at Torpoint and then host Axminster Town at Manstone lane next Wednesday (August 14) have always given youth a chance and this season will be no different.

Burwood says: "For any aspiring talented young footballer, Sidmouth Town really is a place where they will be given a chance.

"This season we are starting off without eight of what you would call last season's regular starting eleven and so opportunity knocks for the players who have the shirts on day one."

One player who Burwood has high hopes for is teenager Oscar Walsh of who the Town boss says: "Oscar [Walsh] is a real prospect. He is local in as much as he has been with Feniton since the age of seven and played right through the youth ages up into Under-18 football last season where he made a big impression. He has genuine pace and, with young Oscar on one flank and Ferenc Bodor on the other wing we are certainly going to have the pace and guile to get at, and behind, teams."

Burwood, who last year ran Town alongside Kevin Tooze, is this year 'going it alone' and he is under no illusions as to how tough a season it might be.

He says: "A huge issue, in terms of us being able to recruit, has been the amount of travelling we shall be doing in the new league. But that's the same for any ambitious teams, the higher up the football food chain you go the more travelling is involved."

He continued: "That said I really think its been very hard on the club having to go to Torpoint on the first Saturday, Torrington on the second and Brixham on the third Saturday of the new term.

"Add to that a midweek home derby and a Monday night trip to Crediton and it's a tough opening couple of weeks for us all."

However, Burwood, who has seen it all in many years of local football - and higher - says: "Personally, its all part of the fun - I'd like to think I can help the younger lads to develop into better footballers and, whatever we might be lacking in experience, I can guarantee we will make up in terms of good old fashioned honest endeavour and enthusiasm."