Ian Culverhouse says his King's Lynn Town team will not be scared by the daunting challenge of National League North football in the new season.

The Linnets began planning their itinerary on Wednesday when the fixtures were released, handing them a trip to Guiseley on opening day - August 3 - before a huge week at The Walks when they face Kettering and then Hereford.

The road trips include such non league big names as York City, Chester and Darlington, but Culverhouse says the Linnets won't be overawed.

Lynn won promotion from the Southern Premier Central in May following an epic play-off final win at Warrington, and Culverhouse has kept faith with the bulk of his squad for the new campaign - it's a squad he says he has the right balance to compete at the higher level.

"The core of the group has stayed together, which is really pleasing," said Culverhouse.

"If you go through the squad we have got great experience in there with players who have played at this level or even above. I was really pleased to keep the majority of the squad together because most of them have already been there and it is nothing new to them and with that experience it will help the younger ones and those who haven't played at that level come through.

"It is going to be a hard challenge for us, but it is something we can really look forward to.

"We can go into it and really relish it. We are going to attack it that's for sure. We are not going to be apprehensive - we will be competitive in every game we go into.

"We are going into a league with some old established football clubs, but as the old saying goes, we will take it every game as it comes.

"We won't be scared of it, that's for sure."

The Linnets have a busy pre-season schedule, starting a week on Saturday at Stamford, before the opening game.

"It's an early start, August 3, but it gives us a real intense month of preparation and within that we have six games as well. It will be intense for the boys, but they would rather have it that way so we can crack on and get ourselves stuck into it.

"They take it in their stride and they thrive on it, they really do."