EBBSFLEET UNITED skipper Paul McCarthy says the club should expect a tougher season than ever in the Blue Square Conference.

The 36-year-old has signed on for the Fleet for the 2007/08 season – along with fellow defender Peter Hawkins – and is hoping the club can push on after finishing seventh last year.

McCarthy said: "I spoke to the manager before the end of the season and he said if I wanted to play then I was always wanted here. I didn’t look for anyone else and I’m happy with what I have got."

"It was an incredible achievement to finish seventh and expectation levels will be raised. We want to better what we did last season, but it is a very difficult league.

"There are some big clubs and six or seven with league pedigree. It is going to be a difficult season for us and we need to get off to a good start."