Barrow AFC manager Paul Cox picks his sides to watch in the National League

While the team are looking to build on their 11th-placed finish last term, Cox knows there will be many teams capable to reaching the play-offs and gaining promotion.

Here, he picks out the seven sides he feels will be the ones to watch throughout the 2016/17 campaign.

EASTLEIGH

WITH the resources they have thrown at it, they seem to be having a massive push year with their recruitment.

The amount of players with not just Football League experience but experience of the game in general is huge.

Football emulates life in that the teams with the most money are usually the ones who are most competitive – when the injuries and suspension start and the budgets start to creak, then people with that financial clout can go and spend more.

Player to Watch: Ryan Cresswell – He's a League Two player last year, who got a club (Northampton Town) promoted. He's dropped down two divisions from where he would have been playing. That kind of experience is so valuable and will hold them true over the season.

FOREST GREEN ROVERS

THEY'VE already made a statement of intent with the chairman saying they are only planning to get promoted this season. That's not a cheap shot at anybody – that's a guy with the resources to back it up.

Mark Cooper (the FGR manager) will have resources at his disposal that only one or two other clubs at this level will have. Again, it gives him potential, if things are going wrong – or if things are going right – to strengthen and build.

Players to Watch: Matt Tubbs and Rhys Murphy – Between them, they are a combination that could score 40 goals at this level this season. That's going to be a massive factor on success and failure, goals scored.

WREXHAM

IF you look at the club, they are probably one of the biggest clubs in our division. If you went up a division, they would probably be one of the biggest clubs in League Two in terms of fan-base and history.

With the resources the club has got, their mentality is that they feel they are a Football League club and want to get back – a bit similar to how Grimsby probably were last year. They have been in this league too long for a club of that size. They are a sleeping giant.

I expect them to be up there competing for promotion.

Player to Watch: Jordan White – I know he's injured at the minute, but we were keeping an eye on him in Scotland, because he's a handful and a proven goalscorer. They've also brought in some good players at the back – Hamza Bencherif has league experience and at this level.

DAGENHAM AND REDBRIDGE

THEY'VE got the money from the parachute payment and that will give them that extra spending money.

They've got a manager that I really respect in John Still. He's been there, done it, won it. He's written the book at this level. He has been promoted and he's been a good manager at this level and the level above.

He's a guy with vast experience of how to win and I'm sure he will galvanise Dagenham and Redbridge again and I can see them being very strong this season.

Manager to Watch: John Still (left) – I wouldn't pick out a player, I think it's all to do with John. He's a good manager and with him in place, he is good at creating players out of nothing. He never goes for big names, he gets people from the lower leagues and improves them as players.

YORK CITY

ONCE again, they will have the money from the parachute payment, which is a lot of money to start with.

York seem to have had a total revamp and have brought a lot of new, fresh faces in with quality at this level. Once again, I expect their mind-set will be 'how quickly can we get back' after being relegated.

I expect them to be strong this season and give it a right good go.

Player to Watch: Yan Klukowski (right) – Klukowski s
cored a lot of goals at Forest Green, He's a great player in the number 10 role or out wide in a three. He will score you goals.

TRANMERE ROVERS

I FEEL they've got the best squad of players at this level this year. They will probably be the team to beat – anyone who can finish above Tranmere will get promoted. If any team does.

You look through the side and they've not just got goals, but good players in all positions. They've solid at the back with people like Steve McNulty organising and galvanising them.

You look at Tranmere as being the benchmark of who to beat in order to get promoted.

Players to Watch: Connor Jennings (left) and Steve McNulty – They've signed Jennings from Wrexham and he will be a great addition. McNulty will make sure they are very hard to beat and don't concede a lot of goals. You also look at the likes of Steven Jennings and Jay Harris pulling the strings in the middle of the park.

GATESHEAD

YOU'VE got to throw Gateshead in there with the money they have spent over the summer. They've thrown a lot of resource at it and they don't just have a good 11, but real strength in depth with players who have played and achieved at this level.

I expect them to be stronger than they were last year and they are one of those sides who might go under the radar but are really one of those to watch.

Player to Watch: Ryan Bowman – I had him at Torquay and he has goals all the way through him. He's an excellent player at this level of football.