Workington Reds will be real promotion contenders this season according to Saturday's opponents Nantwich Town.

The two sides are set to clash in the Northern Premier League at the Weaver Stadium, ko 3pm.

And the club's head of media Tim Crighton says many believe Reds will be up there challenging for the play-offs come the end of the season, if not automatic promotion.

"Several key personnel around the club view Workington as a real danger this season and expected to be challenging for automatic promotion or play-offs at worst," he said.

"They are a strong, well organised side, who will be hard to break down and are a threat going forward.

"Nantwich will need to be at their best to get a result, that is for sure."

Reds did the double over Nantwich last season but the Cheshire side have had a lot of upheaval in the close season and will be a very different side.

Manager Phil Parkinson and his coaching team left for a post at Altrincham FC and several key players followed him.

And talented duo Andy White and Curtis Jones joined Southport while Ibou Touray went full time with Salford.

New manager Dave Cooke has had to rebuild a squad in a short space of time and managed to keep hold of key players in Sam Hall, Matt Bell, Sean Cooke and Joel Stair.

Crighton added that all at the club were pleased with how quickly he managed to turn things around and add some new talent.

"We have signed a great keeper in Fabian Spiess who has been superb the first two games and breaking news is that we have signed Kaiman Anderson on loan from Southport FC, who is a highly regarded striker," he added.

"We have also signed Caspar Hughes and we are delighted to have secured him just before the start of the season. So the squad is really shaping up nicely."

However, Spiess may not feature against Reds today after suffering a nasty head injury last weekend.

But they could welcome back top scorer Sean Cooke who has been out with a long term injury.

Nantwich have opened their season with a loss and a draw so they are still looking for their first win. But Crighton says everyone is positive about the future.

He added: "We have played two of the promotion favourites in Stalybridge Celtic and Altrincham, losing 1-0 and drawing 1-1 respectively.

"Given our very young and largely new team, we have not conceded many goals and, in parts, have matched our opponents.

"So it is had been an encouraging start to the season given the circumstances and all at the club think the team will get better and better.

"But we have to be realistic in that this is a tough league and excellent standard so it would be good to put some more points on the board in the next few matches.

"We have a very talented but very inexperienced squad so we are looking at some of our more seasoned pros to lead the way."