The 2010/11 season kicks off on Saturday with a visit from Redditch United. Redditch finished last season in nineteenth, one place off what would have been the drop zone had anybody dropped. They will be looking to over thirteen failed attempts at beating Celtic home or away. At the start of last season, these two teams met, a game Celtic won 4-1. The last meeting between the two sides was a 3-0 win for Celtic at Bower Fold.

Redditch had the worst goals against last season, conceding eighty-two goals in the league, including a 6-1 defeat away at Droylsden and an 8-0 defeat away at Fleetwood. Away from home, they conceded an average of 2.6 goals per game (two overall), and scored only a goal per game (1.2 overall). Redditch did manage some away wins last season, beating Stafford at the start of March, which was the last time they won away from home, whilst they beat Vauxhall Motors 5-0 (their best result all season), they also beat Solihull and Northwich.

Redditch?s top scorer last season was Jack Byrne, who scored six goals, with Gareth Sheldon pushing him for the golden boot by scoring five, despite neither scoring anything after February. Redditch?s most dangerous period was the opening twenty minutes, when they scored twelve of their forty-nine goals, whilst their most vulnerable period was around the half hour mark, when they conceded eighteen goals.

With no prior games, and both sides fielding trialists in their final friendlies, it is likely that the teams that face each other on Saturday will bear no resemblance to those from the friendlies. Celtic will still have some signings to make this week, but one player who will definitely be unable to play is Barrie Keeling, who is serving a suspension for the sending off in the Eastwood Town match, when he brought down Danny Holland in the opening seconds of that game.

This is the first real test for the new full time system put in place at Celtic. Based on history, it is the perfect start for Harvey?s team, but history counts for nothing at the start of a new season.

Other matches on Saturday:
AFC Telford v Hyde
Alfreton Town v Hinckley United
Boston United v Stafford Rangers
Corby Town v Harrogate Town
Droylsden v Eastwood Town
Guiseley v Nuneaton Town
Ilkeston Town v Vauxhall Motors
Solihull Moors v Blyth Spartans
Worcester City v Gainsborough Trinity
Workington v Gloucester City