STUART Delmonte believes AFC Flixton will find things much tougher this season.

Flixton, who have been a real force in the last three years, begin their campaign with a cup final against Lawds on Sunday.

The fixture was put back from last season — but Flixton will have an altogether different look to them ahead of the curtain-raiser.

Adam Stevens and Leor Sidle, so prominent in Flixton’s march to the Accounts Premier League title last season, have moved on.

Joint-manager Delmonte played down his side’s chances of a repeat and said: “It always is tough to maintain your standards and we have lost some key players.

"Everyone is hungry to replicate or better what they achieved. But to win the league and to make the final of two cup competitions is not an easy task.

"Teams will have improved and we will have to raise our game."

Delmonte has also cast doubt over his and Tony Rosenberg’s long-term future with Flixton.

After three trophy-gathering years at Flixton, the managerial duo will consider whether this season will be their last. He commented: “This is our fourth season here and we have won eight or nine trophies in that time.

"We both said we would look at what the future holds at the end of the season. Then we will decide whether we are the right men to take the club forward."