WORCESTER City manager Carl Heeley believes next season’s Vanarama National League North will be the strongest yet.

City end the current campaign against Colwyn Bay at Aggborough today (3pm) guaranteed to finish no lower than ninth.

But replicating that achievement next season is set to get even harder for the Blue and Whites, not least because they have seen some of their better players move on this term and are unlikely to gain a budget increase.

The standard of competition in next season’s newly named division is also set to increase with FC United of Manchester, Telford and Nuneaton joining the ranks.

In FC United, who have been crowned Evo-Stik Northern League Premier Division champions, the division is gaining the latest non-league powerhouse.

Like AFC Wimbledon before them, the club, formed a decade ago by fans opposed to American businessman Malcolm Glazer’s takeover at Old Trafford, are making huge strides.

About to move into a new 5,000-capacity stadium, they regularly attract crowds close to 2,000 for home matches and 3,588 witnessed them secure the title against Stourbridge.

Nuneaton and Telford’s relegation from the Conference will see City renew derby rivalries, while Alfreton could yet plunge through the trapdoor of non-league’s top-flight.

With Stockport County facing their third season in non-league’s second tier, there will be some potentially lucrative fixtures for Worcester.

But Heeley reckons the standard of opposition is almost unrecognisable from the competition’s formation in 2004.

“The league gets tougher and tougher every season if you look back at the transformation of the league and how competitive it is now,” he said.

“We’ve got to improve as well and we’ve got to try to do that with spending the same money – even less if we can.

“That’s a challenge but it’s one we relish and one we look forward to.”