STEVE Claridge reckons Salisbury FC will be able to match the old club’s Conference Premier attendances when they tackle their new venture in step five of the National League System.

The boss says he will be satisfied with attracting 800 fans but is hopeful for 1,000 in the Wessex Premier, gates which were accomplished when Whites featured in the elite level of non-league football the season before last.

But after a year with no football at the Ray Mac, Claridge believes their large fanbase hasn’t vanished despite the club’s downwards spiral.

Talking to JournalSport, he said: “I’m hoping for upwards of 1,000 people. We need that amount of people. That’s what this club is all about.

“Everyone else is going to get 80 [fans], we’ll get 800.

“If 800 people turn up for a friendly, you’d like to think they can turn up for our first home game.

“I’d like to think this a big club and the only way you can determine a big club is how many people come through the turnstiles.

“I think people should realise that will give us the springboard to go onto better things.

“The more people turn up, the sooner we can get out of the league and the sooner we can be where we want to be and play the likes of Luton and Bristol Rovers.

“We’ll get back to where we need to be because everybody here is determined that will happen.”

The Whites launch their packed pre-season programme on Wednesday, away at Dorchester Town before hosting Darrell Clarke’s Bristol Rovers on Saturday, July 11.

They round-up pre-season with the visit of AFC Totton (August 1).

Claridge added: "AFC Totton is going to be a wonderful game to finish off because it will give us some indication as to where we are."

"By that time, there won’t be any more trialists, it will all be done.

"Hopefully, nine tenths of the squad will be done and people will get a really good idea of where we are. And don’t forget the three or four games they have seen, there were players in there who weren’t quite good enough but I played them because I needed to see them."

Claridge has already brought in 11 players, and is still on the lookout for more.

But he says his budget doesn't stand-up against some of the division's big-spenders.

"We’re talking about players earning 10, 15 times more at other clubs to what they are earning here.

We haven’t done what other clubs have done but we’ll flex our muscle every now-and-again but we’ll make sure when we do that it’s for the right person.

"There’s lots of things going on but I’m really, really pleased with my signings.

"I want a squad of 20 and everyone can play. I don’t want a squad of 14 and then have six on the periphery that are going to feel like they are out of it.

I want to be able to mix and match, so everyone who comes in is as good as whoever comes out. I’ve no issues with using any of my 20 players."