Last season's top scorer Dave Kitson got off the mark in the first match of the new campaign at Huddersfield last weekend, rising to head home an 89th minute equaliser to ensure a point.

In doing so, he realised an ambition shared with us on the eve of the new campaign when he said, "I just want to try to pick up where I left off. I scored a few goals last season and played quite well as well, so I felt quite good about myself.

"They tell me it's always difficult after you've scored a lot of goals to come back and try and repeat it, but with the squad we've got this year I'm confident that I should be able to achieve that."

Already a marked man and singled out for some uncompromising attention from third division defences last season, the big striker expects more of the same this season but knows it is inevitable:

"It proved difficult last year when we played teams the second time around. It wasn't just me, they had myself and Shane Tudor down as marked men, and it was a case of 'by all means necessary'; kicking and punching and whatever.

"It wasn't very pleasant and I can't say I'm looking forward to that this season, but it's just one of the things that's part and parcel of the job and I have to get on with it."

From a personal as well as a team point of view, Dave hopes winger Shane Tudor will hit top form as soon as possible after missing the end of the season with hamstring problems and undergoing a groin operation in the summer.

Asked if the team missed Tudor in the closing stages of last season, the 23-year-old replies without hesitation: "Undoubtedly. Shane Tudor's a massive talent and he's been a superb player for us. Last year, if he had kept going right the way through the season, then maybe we would have got into the play-offs and I would have broken the club's scoring record.

"That's how highly I rate him and there's no question that we missed him at the back of last season. Hopefully he'll come back stronger and fitter and he'll be able to pick up how he was at the beginning of last season."

Last season there were goal scorers throughout the side, with Kitson, Tudor, Tom Youngs and Omer Riza all achieving double figures, as Kitson notes: "We had Shane Tudor who chipped in with 15 or so goals, I got a few, and we had Omer and Tom, but maybe we just weren't strong enough at the back last season.

"This year I think we are, and it's a shame in one respect that Tom and Omer have gone because it would have been very interesting to see what a team like that could have done."

John Taylor has made three experienced new signings during the close-season, adding defender Mark Venus and midfielders Stuart Bimson and Justin Walker to the side, and the Hitchin-born striker feels they will strengthen a small but promising squad:

"I've seen them play a few times now and in training, and they've looked very good signings. Justin Walker has looked a superb midfielder, a good addition with a good eye for a pass and loves a tackle as well, which is exactly what you want from your midfielders.

"'Bimmo' has looked steady at the back, a decent signing with a great left foot, and he and Mark Venus will bring experience to some good young players," he adds.

Kitson and Daniel Chillingworth alternated as lone strikers during the pre-season games as John Taylor and Dale Brooks experimented with a five man midfield. Dave admits that it was hard to adjust to a new role after playing with a strike partner and at least one pacy winger last season, but added, "The players have to adapt to the way the Gaffer wants you to play. It has been difficult, I won't deny that, but we're professionals and we're trying to iron things out and get on with it."

Ironically, in the opening two games of the season he and Chillingworth have been paired up front in the more familiar 4-4-2 line-up and they have scored a goal apiece and had opportunities for more.

Assessing United's prospects for the season ahead, the big striker admits, "It's going to be difficult. Despite the speculation that one or two clubs were going to the wall, everyone seemed to be bringing in players and strengthening their squads and it looked at one stage as if we were going to be the only club not doing that. But the Gaffer's brought in a few faces and hopefully we will be able to match and better enough teams in this division to get us out of it."

On a personal basis Dave is reluctant to publicly set a goals target but the U's goal scoring record is obviously still in his thoughts as he concludes, "I'm not going to set a target in case I fall woefully short, but I wouldn't be a footballer if I didn't want to play at the top and score lots of goals.

"It's not me to be happy just knocking in a few goals now and then in the third division, I can't play like that, so I would love to break the club's goal scoring record and I was honestly gutted that I didn't do it last season - and I blame Shane Tudor entirely!" he adds with a grin.

"The Quick Fire Round"

If you were on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire' and had to phone a friend, which teammate would you choose?

It has to be one of the older lads for their experience, so probably Mark Venus, being a man of the world.

Favourite holiday destination, and describe why in one word.

Porto Rico, Gran Canaria. Picturesque.

If you weren't a footballer, what would your job be now?

I'd probably be a writer.

Who do you go to for financial advice?

Tudes - his mind's always on money!

What will you be doing in ten years' time?

Hopefully I will have made enough money from football to retire and I'll have a villa in Gran Canaria so I can look at the scenery all day with a bottle of wine.

Who is your best mate in the squad?

Probably Tudes again.

Who has the best dress sense in the squad?

Other than me? I'll say Shane Tudor again, but reluctantly and only because he's listening!

And who has the worst?

Warren Goodhind has to be up there, and Justin Walker likes to wear some lairy clothes. He wore some orange trousers that were particularly special.

In a film of your life story who would you want to play you and why?

That's a tough question - there's no one else as good looking as me! If I ever did anything worthy of a film I'd like to play myself, maybe with some gangster leanings too.

Porsche or Ferrari?

Ferrari.

Indian or Chinese?

Chinese.

Beer or lager?

Neither.

Boxers or briefs?

Boxers.

If you were given tickets for a gig, who would you want to see and why?

I'd love to see David Bowie. He's more or less the only person who I really rate and who I haven't actually seen.

Three words your teammates might use to describe you?

Individual, friendly and comical.

You can hear an extended version of Dave's interview on our U's World multimedia website, where other recent interviews include Daniel Chillingworth and Justin Walker, a preview of the new season from John Taylor, and an update from Chairman Gary Harwood.

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