CHORLEY Lynx Rugby League Club begin their preparations for the new season this Sunday when they entertain Workington Town in a pre-season friendly at Victory Park, kick off 3pm.

The close season has seen the future of the club in severe doubt as Preston North End looked to sell the club and only the last-minute intervention of Trevor Hemmings saved the club from folding.

Lynx are now part of the Chorley Sporting Club which also includes Chorley FC -- and visitors to Victory Park will see that over £200,000 has been spent on the ground to bring it up to standard.

Former Wigan player and coach Graham West has been appointed as coach and he has already put in place a scouting system which the club has never had in the past.

He is under no illusions of how difficult the task ahead will be, but this game will give him a look at what talent he currently has at the club and what will be needed to make the team competitive.

On the playing front, the experienced pair of Dave Jones and Paul Norton have left the club for Leigh and Oldham respectively, seven of last season's squad have resigned while ex-Wigan and Wakefield hooker Ian Talbot has joined the club along with Graham Tabiner who has seen service with Wigan and Leigh. Another experienced player to sign is utility back Lee Bargate who played with Batley last season.

The club will be placing the emphasis on trying to develop young talent and the signings of amateur international Peter Cain and Asa Watson who will be touring with the Great Britain Under 19s underline this policy.

On a local note Paul Cookson from Blackburn is also likely to be given a chance during the game.

The squad will be: Roberts, Potter, Tabiner, Doherty, Talbot, Prescott, Vincent, Ramsdale, Christie, Cookson, Conway, Cain, Lacy, Johnson, Maden, Watson, Taylor, Cassidy, Bargate.