With the confirmation of the conclusion of last season, Enniskillen Athletic can now look forward to a first ever campaign in the top flight of Fermanagh and Western football.

Athletic had secured promotion prior to the season ending due to the Covid-19 situation but they had to wait until this week for confirmation after an appeal on the league’s decision to conclude the season with average points with promotion and no relegation.

Athletic manager Anthony Fitzpatrick says that the club are now keen to get going in Division One.

“It was very frustrating for everyone involved with the club because we couldn’t really start to plan until we knew what was going on. Now that it has been confirmed though everyone is looking forward to playing in Division One.

“It is massive for the club, it is our first year in Division One and hopefully we can hold our own. We want to be competitive but just staying in the division is the goal for us,” he said.

Fitzpatrick said that the uncertainty of what division they were going to be in meant that they couldn’t get signings in but he has now started to add to the squad.

“We had a few signings in the pipeline but we couldn’t complete until we knew we were definitely in Division One and hopefully we can get a few more in as well. We have William Simpson, Brandon Horan, Connor Rippey, Daniel McIntyre, Sean Cassidy and Ryan O’Keefe signed so far and if anybody else becomes available we would definitely look at that because with a reserve team starting we need good numbers.”

And he has a couple of friendly games lined up ahead of the start of the new season.

“We have friendlies against Lisbellaw and Tummery lined up and hopefully one or two more before the start of the season,” he said.