WIGAN Athletic come to town tonight (Thursday kick-off 7pm) for St Helens Town's final pre-season encounter before the First North Western Trains League Division One campaign starts on Saturday, August 14.

A hectic period of warm-ups in sweltering conditions has enabled boss Jimmy McBride to run the rule over 30 hopefuls and his line-up tonight is expected to be something resembling the final product as the Latics provide the opposition having opened their JJB Stadium this week.

For the fifth year running Town begin their new league season with a home game when Ramsbottom United visit on the opening day but cup draws have not been so kind with Town having to travel.

In the AXA FA Cup they make the trek to County Durham to face Chester-le-Street on Saturday August 21 while in the Carlsberg FA Vase, in which they reached the last 32 last term, a trans Pennine trip takes them to Yorkshire based Selby.

On the domestic scene they face possible the hardest tie in the NW Trains Challenge cup when visiting last year's runners-up, Mossley.

Off the field more terracing has been laid at Hoghton Road to continue the rolling programme of upgrade in order to facilitate Northern Premier League football should promotion be achieved.

Behind the scenes the club have scooped their biggest up front sponsorship deal ever which will be announced on the eve of the new campaign. On the playing side centre back Paul Kirwan faces a race against time to be fit following a summer knee operation but the expected comeback of midfielder Mike Gilmore after missing an entire season with a compound fracture, is likely to be delayed until the Autumn.

Admission prices for the Wigan Athletic game are £2 adults, £1 juniors and OAPs.

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