by Alex Hoad

Dover boss Nicky Forster insists he is not targeting the Blue Square Bet South title this season and says Whites will be vying with 21 other teams for a play-off spot.

Despite being widely tipped for top-spot this season along with ambitious Eastleigh, Forster (pictured) doesn’t want the weight of the title favourites tag on his team’s shoulders this term.

He said: "I don’t think it’s an easy league and I’m not sure you could call anyone favourites. There are 21 other sides who I’d say are all looking to be in the play-offs.

"It would be foolish to target the title, because what happens if you come second and go up through the play-offs? Does that make it a failure ?

"Our target is simply that we are looking to improve on last season (when Whites fell a place short of the play-offs) and better ourselves."

Forster accepted that his team will be seen as a scalp for many teams next season, especially at Crabble, adding: "We’re a reasonably big club in this division, we’ve got a nice ground with nice facilities, there is a feel-good factor coming to play here. We have to be prepared for that."

Ian Simpemba and Barry Cogan sat out the opening pre-season training session on Saturday after off-season surgeries on hernia problems, while Tom Wynter was awaiting results of a scan on an injury picked up last year, which has since proved all-clear.

Forster said: "They were there in body and spirit, even if they couldn’t join in. They’ll probably miss the first couple of pre-season games but hopefully come Brighton (on July 14) they’ll be involved. We had a good session on Saturday, spirits were high, they were raring to go."

Whites visit Deal Town for their opening friendly this Saturday (3pm).

Do you think Dover are the favourites for the Blue Square Bet South title? Have your say below.