WITH a place in the Nationwide Conference League at stake, the battle for the Ryman Premier League is always closely-fought, although this year at least six teams including St Albans City are genuine title contenders and the race for the championship looks tighter than ever.

Perennial favourites Canvey Island are strong once again after a massive rebuilding job by manager Jeff King in a bid to finally land some silverware after again finishing runners-up last season.

Although Wayne Vaughan, Peter Smith and Mark Stimson have all departed, the Gulls have snapped up Dave Gregory from Colchester, Matt Jones from Dagenham and Redbridge and, in perhaps the biggest coup, former Tottenham Hotspur star Jason Dozzell who should have more than enough class to make a major impression despite his ageing legs.

Lee Protheroe and Ollie Adedji have arrived from Aldershot FC and should prove useful additions while Dean Greygoose will take his place between the sticks after being snapped up from Stevenage.

However, rumours of unrest at Park Lane have placed a question mark on their ability to last the distance Gravesend's team spirit saw them pip Canvey to the title last season and Grays Athletics have emerged as the chief benefactors with the acquisition of Vaughan, Smith and Stimson.

Many people's dark horses, Craig Edwards' squad mixes youth with experience and, with Stafford Browne Aldershot's top scorer in the previous campaign joining the Essex club, Grays are well placed to improve on their finish of sixth last season.

Grays have also signed striker Robbie Reinelt from Braintree Town who would do well to match their fourth placed finish of last season.

With Nicky Simpson joining a number of names on their way out of Cressing Road, major financial problems off the pitch looked to have put an end to any hopes Town would have had of building on last season and pushing for promotion.

Likewise, Purfleet did well to finish fifth last season but have been quiet in the transfer market and would settle for another top six finish.

Hayes return to the Ryman League for the first time in six years after being relegated from the Nationwide Conference League and, despite losing their manager Terry Brown along with a number of players to Aldershot, could use their Conference experience to upset the favourites en-route to a top six finish.

Come May though, it is hard to look past Aldershot Town Saints' local rivals as favourites to land the title.

Brown has taken promising young defenders Anthony Charles and Dominic Sterling with him from old club Hayes while plundering experienced defender Jason Cousins from Wycombe Wanderers.

Paul Moody, formerly of Oxford United, will combine with Roscoe D'Sane and Lee Charles in an impressive-looking forward line although Aldershot have flattered to deceive in recent years and their bottle for the big occasion has continually been called into question and continually failed them when it comes to the crunch.