MARK Jones is predicting a tough season ahead, but is confident Oxford City are more than up for the test.

The side begin their Vanarama National League South campaign tomorrow when they host Eastbourne Borough at Court Place Farm.

City head into the fixture off the back of a positive pre-season which saw the retention of nine key players, while seven new faces have joined.

With the club still in debt, Jones is pragmatic about the task ahead, but is confident of improvement.

Although he oversaw an historic run to the second round of the Emirates FA Cup, City finished 16th last season after finding themselves at the wrong end of the table for the majority of the year.

And manager Jones is under no illusions about what he would regard as a successful campaign

He said: “We’re still working hard to pay off the debt, which is well documented.

“There will be many teams with far bigger budgets and squads than us, so I think we could count a success as finishing mid-table and keeping our position in this league.

“Realistically, people would accept that, but it’s also a difficult balance.

“You don’t want to go into a season hoping you are going to stay up – that could be construed as a lack of ambition and we have to aim as high as we can.

“We have some talented players that have the potential to have a good season.

“With seventh place getting into the play offs, that’s always a realistic aim and the majority of managers might think their team has a chance of making that.”

City’s average attendance last year was 319 – the sixth lowest in the division.

But with neighbours Oxford United beginning their Sky Bet League One campaign at Barnsley, they are hoping to attract a bigger crowd tomorrow by offering half-price entry to U’s season ticket holders.

Jones said: “We want to get off to a good start.

“We want to try to improve our home attendances – it would be a really big help for the club.

“Hopefully people can come down and give their support to an ambitious local club.”

City were without a number of key players as they ended pre-season with a 2-0 defeat at Brackley Town.

But goalkeeper Craig King returns and midfielder Rob Sinclair hopes to shake off a calf problem.

Striker Kabongo Tshimanga is a doubt (hip), while fellow new signing Ben Jefford is sidelined (groin).