Newly-promoted Ebbsfleet are ready to lay a marker down on the first day of the National League season.

Fleet are in Yorkshire this weekend to mark their return to non-league’s top flight with a game at Guiseley.

Four years since they were relegated and almost went out of business and having lost in two play-off finals and sacked two managers, Ebbsfleet are now ready to have a real crack at reaching the Football League.

But manager Daryl McMahon, who signed a new five-year contract this summer, knows the size of the task they face.

He said: "It feels good. I’ve been here for the whole four years in different roles and I’m delighted we’ve finally done it now. We’re looking forward to the challenge of being back in the National League.

"But being realistic, we’ve just got back into the league and it’s vitally important we stay in it first and foremost.

"There’s been a little bit around the club where people want to run before they can walk and it’s taken four years to get to this level.

"We have to respect that and respect the fact there’s some massive clubs in this division and other clubs that have been in there for two or three years who will be looking to get out as well.

"We need to understand where we’re at and try to compete with those teams straight away. That will be our immediate ambition."

Guiseley needed a 90th-minute goal on the final day of last season to avoid relegation and they’re expected to struggle again.

Ebbsfleet, by contrast, haven’t lost a league game in 2017 – a run of 23 matches stretching all the way back to New Year’s Day.

"I definitely think we can hold our own," McMahon said.

"We’ve got players that have played in that division and above and we’ve got some younger players for whom this will be the highest level they’ve played at.

"I believe the younger players will excel. Every challenge that’s been put in front of them so far, they’ve excelled."

Dean Rance (knee) is out but Kenny Clark (ankle) could return after missing Fleet’s last few pre-season friendlies.

Anthony Cook begins a three-match ban and Bradley Bubb is out long-term but that still leaves McMahon with 21 senior players to pick from.

He said: "The ones I leave out, I’ll speak to well before Saturday. There will be players that won’t be on the bench that will still come with the team, that I think are important to be around the team.

"The team that starts the season rarely finishes it. It‘s important all the players understand that and understand why I pick a team and I’ll explain that to them."

McMahon was the first player Ebbsfleet signed following their takeover by KEH Sports in summer 2013. He ran the club's academy and captained the first team before succeeding Jamie Day as manager in April 2015.

He said: "Since the owner came in four years ago, the club’s been trying to get out of Conference South.

"The club’s massively evolved from the day I walked in from Dover four years ago to where it is now. It has changed so much in terms of the stadium, the training ground and even the calibre we had if I’m being honest.

"When you look back at the team we had, it was a pretty decent team for Conference South but the players we’ve got at the club now, it has changed greatly.

"We’ve all worked hard; the owner, the board, the players that have been and gone and we thank everyone for what they’ve done.

"Now we want to compete in this league and try to lay a marker down."