JAMES Foley plans to step up for Witton this season.

In a literal sense, he’s tasked with taking Albion’s penalties.

Metaphorically, the departure from Wincham Park of dressing room leaders like Anthony Brown and Paul Williams leaves space for new ones to come forward.

Fortunately, he’s happy to do both.

“It’s been a lot quieter,” he quipped, referring to his former teammates’ strong vocal presence.

More seriously, that duo’s exit – and that of leading goal-scorer Steve Tames along with influential midfielder Prince Haywood – hints at Carl Macauley’s team entering the next stage of their evolution.

Foley played in every Northern Premier League fixture last season, and even at the age of 24 has played in the Premier Division for longer than most of his teammates.

He said: “We’ve lost great characters, and good players of course, and that definitely has an impact.

“New lads have come in, and it takes a little bit of time for them to feel comfortable.

“I’m starting to sense that we’re gelling, and communicating better with each other, in the past couple of weeks.

“In fact, it’s a noticeable change.”

There will probably be only two players in Witton’s startling line-up this weekend over 30; captain Rob Hopley and goalkeeper Greg Hall.

However the latter has never played in the Northern Premier League’s top-flight.

Foley has racked up close to 150 appearances at step three with Marine, where he spent three seasons, and then Albion.

That know-how has proved invaluable.

“I knew every side we came up against, and who to look out for,” he added.

“A lot of our lads were getting used to playing at this level for the first time, and they made the adjustment well.

“That’s given us belief that we can improve again this year.”

Following the arrival of Billy Smart from Marine, a midfielder who has followed the same path Foley took last summer, his role in the team may change.

For starters, Macauley expects more goals from the middle of the pitch to take some of the burden off Hopley and Will Jones.

Tom Owens led the way with eight last season.

Foley said: “Taking pens will help me, so I better not miss any!

“I did wonder who would take them after Tamesy left, and I would have put my hand up if the gaffer hadn’t asked me.

“It’s going to be a challenge to replace the 30-odd goals he scored, and we’ve got to find them from somewhere else.

“I think the shackles on me will be looser, certainly judging by how we’ve played in a lot of the friendlies.”

He revealed there is a quiet determination in the group to improve on a seventh-place finish last season, more so considering few are tipping Witton to finish inside the top five.

A trip to South Shields on Saturday is an early barometer.

Foley said: “It was the same last year – nobody talked us up much.

“We went toe-to-toe with everybody, and didn’t do badly did we?!”