Battle at the top of division two looks like being a tight affair

The relegated Brotherhood D side of Paul Alden, Shaun Beckham, Lee Harvey and Russell Hillier oozes quality and they start as marginal title favourites.

But Nomads Tigers, who narrowly missed out on promotion last season, have assembled a strong squad, with John Hockley, Brian Parish, Tony Robinson and Tom Wilkin joining Daryl Lott and John Marshall.

Brotherhood H should also be in the promotion mix, with Parkes, Sharpe and Wrigley welcoming back two popular former players, Paul Bellinger and Stewart Murray.

And if you're looking for a dark horse, check out Brotherhood F, with Barry Allen, Lee Allen and Sandie Isaac supplemented this season by Laurence Torr.

Windsor Harriers are unchanged for a fourth year and will expect to finish mid-table, as will Windsor Buzzards after their encouraging first season in division two.

Promoted Walton C have strengthened their squad with John Bonner while a quartet of ex-third division players - Andrew Cawley, Brian Friday, Jason Lloyd and Ethan Lloyd - comprise the new-look Nomads Bobcats.

However, Brotherhood I could be the division's surprise package, with Mark Beckham joined by former player Mark Ratcliff, talented juniors Scott Campbell and Woody Fitzpatrick and classy newcomer Kris Stefanov.

Nomads Jaguars, despite the addition of Harry and Tony Beezer, will have to fight hard to survive, as will the two teams reprieved from relegation last year - Brotherhood E, who replace Gary Bayliss with Cris Edwards, and Windsor Magpies, who bring in Kayley Rodriguez for Dan Wright.

Which leaves Lionel Goddard's unchanged Nomads Pumas, last year's division three runners-up, as pre-season favourites for bottom spot.

With no teams relegated and a host of new players, sensible predictions for division three are impossible although, on paper, the Nomads Wildcats' trio of Green, Hillier and Wellum looks a strong outfit.

Nomads Cougars, who include Colchester regulars Gill Canning and Roy Cole alongside Vic Little, have the experience to do well but the new Walton D team could be the ones to watch.

Debra Found and Zoe Strange join Windsor Penguins and both they and Windsor Swallows, captained once again by the ever-green Iris Howlett, have the ability to secure a top-half finish.

Dave Wright captains the Nomads Leopards' squad of Collins, Jacobs, McNaughton and Wilkinson and, like the unchanged Brotherhood G team, has a solid mid-table look.

Maci Harvey, Kayleigh Stratford and Jordan Webb form the backbone of Windsor Ospreys while the slowly-improving Windsor Kites are again unchanged.

Sue Lee leads Nomads Ocelots, who include Martin Cunningham and Barbara Rogers, Nomads Lynx are captained by Dave Harris, alongside Cameron Cini and Liam Harris, while Hazel Blanche and Denise Thompson are the leading players for the exotically-titled Nomads Caracals.

Finally, the new Brotherhood J team contains three up-and-coming juniors, Georgia Ayton, Brayden Saward and Harley Wood.

Who knows - perhaps there's a Clacton League champion of the future among them?