PETER Nicholas is eager for a positive start tomorrow as Newport County kick-off their Dr Martens League campaign in front of their own fans against Welling United.

The Exiles, who finished 10th in the premier league last season, have arranged a kids fun day at Spytty Park (kick-off 3pm) where under-16s are welcomed in free of charge - and Nicholas' men will give their all to ensure that any younger fans want to keep coming back.

County chief Nicholas has added four new additions to his squad while four have gone the other way - Mike Fowler being one - and he will line-up against his old colleagues for Welling today. Defensive trio Billy Clark, Steve Benton and Chris Collins also parted company with the Welshmen.

New County signings Steve Williams and Gary Lloyd will make their league debuts at right and left-back respectively while another new boy Terry Evans is expected as a sweeper alongside Andrew Thomas and Jeff Eckhardt.

Gareth Phillips, another recent acquisition, is ready to play in midfield alongside Welsh semi-pro international Nathan Davies and club skipper Matt Rose.

"We have got some fresh faces and they need time to bed in," said Nicholas. "But we're not looking for any excuses - I want a positive result from tomorrow's game. The fans need to be a little patient as I'm planning for the long-term as well as the short-team to build a team which they can be proud of."

Nicholas is fully aware that County need to finish in the top 12 to be included in the revamped and newly-extended Nationwide Conference, which is formed next season.

The top 12 of each of the current Conference's feeder leagues - the Dr Martens Southern, Ryman Isthmian and Unibond Northern - will form two regional divisions below a 'Conference Premier.'

Nicholas has reported an almost clean bill of health, the only absentee will be experienced defender Jason Perry who has a back problem.

Nicholas' only real headache is choosing two of his three frontmen available. Mark Dickeson and Garry Shephard, however, are still returning to full match-fitness. Burly Dickeson had a thigh problem while fans' favourite Shephard, top-scorer in two of the last three seasons, has been away on holiday.

County have only beaten Welling once in six league meetings, losing three. The visitors' new manager Paul Parker has major injury doubts.

The former England defender, who quit as chief at Chelmsford City following his side's 5-2 final day win at Newport last season, has made wholesale changes to the Welling squad over the close-season.

Parker raided his old club for ex-Welsh Under-21 midfielder Danny Slatter and defender Brian Statham, once of Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford. And he's also added England semi-pro midfielder Tim Hambley, from Havant and Waterlooville, prolific Margate striker Phil Collins and ex-West Ham defender Anthony Henry.

Parker, however, will be without Statham (broken leg) while Collins and Hambley are struggling and will face late-fitness tests.

Newport County (from): P Mountain, S Williams, J Eckhardt, A Thomas, T Evans, G Lloyd, G Phillips, N Davies, M Rose (c), G Shephard, N Davis, M Dickeson, C Rogers, L Stone, A Stevenson, N Palmer, R Plant, G Wesson