Gillingham manager Neil Harris believes opening-game opponents Stockport County are the title favourites in League 2.

Beaten in the Play-off Final last season, Stockport have strengthened over the summer, adding Championship-class players in the likes of Nick Powell (ex-Manchester United and Stoke) and Billy Chadwick (Hull City), along with England youth international forward Louie Barry on loan from Aston Villa and Salford captain Ibou Touray.

While many pundits are backing the Gills to do well, after they too have strengthened with some quality addition, it’s Stockport who go into the new season as the bookies’ favourites. They are Harris’ top pick too.

He said: “We’re playing against, in my opinion, the league favourites.

“It’s the first game of the season, away from home, in front of probably 10,000 people at Edgeley Park. It’s the toughest game we could’ve had on the opening day of the season, but it’s a great one for us.”

The Gills rounded off pre-season with an eye-opener at League 1 Cambridge last week, losing 4-0, and a 1-0 win at National League Dagenham on Saturday.

Defenders Conor Masterson, Max Clark, Shad Ogie and Scott Malone have strengthened the back-line for the Gills, former Welsh international Jonny Williams is a top addition in midfield while Ashley Nadesan has given the forward line more pace and variety.

The Gills are expected to add another striker, and a winger, to the mix before the transfer window closes at the end of this month. Former Charlton, Ipswich and QPR front-man Macauley Bonne has been rumoured to be joining.

Harris certainly has a bigger and improved squad and he’ll be utilising that strength straight away after picking up a host of injuries in the latter part of pre-season.

Striker Oli Hawkins had a setback from a heel injury in the game at Cambridge while Masterson, Shaun Williams and Jonny Williams were all missing from action at Dagenham.

Harris said: “We have a few injuries that we’ve picked up which is standard over the course of pre-season, not ideal, but it’s a reminder to all of us, myself included, that you need options throughout the season.

“If you lose two players in the same position, barring the goalkeeper who you can sign during the season, you have to be flexible, you have to be adaptable as a manager in the modern game.

“That is the reason we need to have the squad, if it means you have a couple of players unhappy for a few weeks because they are not in the team or on the bench, then, unfortunately, that is the level of competition we want at the football club.”