HEREFORD United kick off the season with their strongest squad for three years according to skipper Ian Wright.

The 29-year-old is looking to improve on the Bulls's showing last year and maintain a promotion challenge until the last game of the season.

"Hopefully we can start like we did last year but maintain it because we were top three last year until January but tailed off a bit," he said.

"I think the squad altogether is stronger at any time than in the last three years I've been here."

Wright hopes new signing Scott Voice, recruited from Bilston Town, can get among the goals.

"Last season Scott scored nearly 50 goals and if he can get half of that he will be doing well.

"As we showed last year we can beat the top teams but we need to get more consistent and with the squad being stronger than last year hopefully we can maintain it."

Player/coach Phil Robinson, still out due to a wrist operation, has also backed Voice to be among the goals, which he said is crucial in the Nationwide Conference.

"You need to be organised, strong and a fit outfit in the Conference and you've got to score goals," he said. "If you look at the teams that were successful they had a couple of strikers that scored a lot of goals with also contributions from around the pitch.

"Last season we created a lot of chances, with crosses and shots on target and this season we have to convert them into goals.

"Anybody who has seen Hereford has seen us create the chances but there have been some frustrating afternoons because we haven't turned that pressure into goals."

Robinson believes Voice can make the step up from the Dr Martens Premier to the Conference.

"Goalscorering is a natural thing and I think if you can score goals to a certain extent at any level, if you are a decent player and reasonably fit, you can step up and score goals.

"Looking at Scott in training his finishing has been tremendous, they seem to go in off his knee, elbow - they just go in."