SOUTH Cumbria’s 11 West Lancashire League teams face a frantic start to the 2016/17 season when it kicks off on Saturday, August 6.

It will be a packed opening month of the campaign, with teams scheduled to play eight fixtures before the end of August.

A new league structure sees 17 sides in the Premier Division – with West Cumbrian outfit Whitehaven AFC coming into the league to join South Cumbrian teams Crooklands Casuals and Vickerstown – and 16 in both Division One and Division Two.

The restructure means the likes of Crooklands and Dalton United have avoided dropping a division, while reserve sides are now involved in Division Two, having previously been part of a separate league structure.

With extra sides in each division – and given the extensive winter weather disruption last season – a wealth of games have been scheduled for the opening weeks of the campaign.

In the top-flight, Vickerstown face the toughest of starts as they host last season’s champions, Wren Rovers on the opening day, while Crooklands do not have it much easier, welcoming Fulwood Amateurs – third in 2015/16 – to Longlands Park.

Three days later, Crooklands – under new manager Toby O’Reilly and with a coaching team including Jonny Lowes and Chris McKenna – head to Slyne-with-Hest, with Vickerstown becoming the first side to play at Whitehaven’s Coach Road home since their transfer from the Wearside League.

One division lower, and Hawcoat Park – having just missed out on a top-two finish last season – start their season with a real battle against Burscough Richmond. The teams finished third and fourth respectively in the league last season and will be among the sides eager to go up come April.

GSK Ulverston Rangers, who have appointed Preston-based David Walker as manager for the upcoming campaign, begin with a match against Burnley United. Burley finished 13th in the Premier Division last season, but still dropped a level and will be tough opponents.

Askam United go to Lytham Town and Dalton United – who finished bottom last season but stayed up due to the restructure – head to Wyre Villa.

The first midweek games of the season, on Wednesday, August 10, throw up the opening derby matches, as Askam host Ulverston and Hawcoat entertain Dalton.

Dalton take on Askam and Rangers play Hawcoat a week later, with Askam v Hawcoat and Hawcoat v GSK Ulverston Rangers also on the cards before the month of August is over.

Division Two includes five teams from the area – Walney Island, Millom, Swarthmoor, Furness Cavaliers and Furness Rovers – with more to play for this season as relegation becomes a possibility as well as promotion.

All the teams are away on the opening day, Walney at Burscough Richmond reserves, Millom at Coppull United reserves, Swarthmoor at Croston Sports, Cavaliers to Fulwood Amateurs reserves and Furness Rovers on the road to take on Wren Rovers reserves.

Derbies will be commonplace, with the first on August 8 as Rovers host Millom and Swarthmoor entertain Cavaliers.

WEST LANCASHIRE LEAGUE OPENING FIXTURES

PREMIER DIVISION

Saturday, August 6: Crooklands Casuals v Fulwood Amateurs, Vickerstown v Wren Rovers.

Tuesday, August 9: Slyne-with-Hest v Crooklands Casuals, Whitehaven AFC v Vickerstown.

DIVISION ONE

Saturday, August 6: GSK Ulverston Rangers v Burnley United, Hawcoat Park v Burscough Richmond, Lytham Town v Askam United, Wyre Villa v Dalton United.

Wednesday, August 10: Askam United v GSK Ulverston Rangers, Hawcoat Park v Dalton United.

DIVISION TWO

Saturday, August 6: Burscough Richmond res v Walney Island, Coppull United res v Millom, Croston Sports v Swarthmoor Social Club, Fulwood Amateur res v Furness Cavaliers, Wren Rovers res v Furness Rovers.

Monday, August 8: Furness Rovers v Millom, Kendal County v Walney Island, Swarthmoor Social Club v Furness Cavaliers.