MARTIN GRAY has formed his best squad for the toughest challenge yet as Darlington manager ahead of today’s opening game in the Evo-Stik Premier.

The Quakers have been boosted to learn that summer signing Kevin Burgess has shrugged off hamstring trouble in time to make his competitive debut at Buxton.

Burgess, who has also been handed the captaincy, was one of five new recruits earlier in the summer and Gray added to those this week by handing a two-year contract to ex-Sunderland academy defender Lewis Gibbons.

The arrivals of Burgess, Gibbons, Adam Nowakowski, Rob Youhill and Phil Turnbull – as well as back-up keeper Jim Provett – appear to have put Darlington in strong shape going into the first weekend of a campaign spent a higher level following last season’s promotion.

Gray said: “I don’t want to say we can do this or do that, we will just see. What I know is that you need to get off to a good start and build from there. That’s what we are looking for going into the first game.

“There are a few more teams in the league, more travelling is involved and we are also involved in four cup competitions because we are in the Durham Challenge Cup, the North-West Cup, the FA Trophy and the FA Cup.

“We are pushed on to 50 games from those and we are looking at a squad of around 18 players so it will be a tough season and we have to try to be as best prepared as we possibly can for it.

“With that in mind the whole team will play its part, and I’m talking about the coaches, the physios, getting the drills right. Everything has to be spot on.”

But Gray does feel that he has a strong enough squad to compete at the right end of the table if they can adjust quickly to life in the Evo-Stik Premier.

“It’s felt like a longer than I’d have expected just waiting for things to start up again, especially when you think we had the extra week last season because of the football,” he said. “We also got the majority of our business done early as well because we got those four early signings in, so even that side of things slowed up.

“But I would say that the squad I have is the strongest squad I have had, but that strong squad which I feel we have has to be ready for the toughest league we have played in. We have to be ready and we will be.”

Gibbons was the newest signing this week after impressing on a trial. The midfielder, who can also play at right-back, is in contention to start at Buxton in that role after filling the hole left by Gary Brown, who has joined Shildon.

The two-year contract handed to Gibbons comes after recommendation from an old Sunderland-team-mate. Gibbons was released by the Black Cats’ academy in September 2012 when he was hit with a two-year ban for drugs.

“I had a word with Kevin Ball (former Sunderland academy coach) about him and it’s great when you can talk to someone who you have known and played with for years for an opinion,” said Gray. “I have been impressed with what I have seen so far and I’ve heard good things from Kevin.

“Lewis is a tough player, very athletic and he has come through the academy system so he knows how to play the game. It’s nice to have him on board and hopefully we can get off to a good start at Buxton.”