Real Mallorca start their fourth consecutive season in Spain's second division (now called Liga 1.2.3) at home tomorrow against newly promoted Reus. This is the Catalans' first time in the second division, so they arrive in Palma as a bit of an unknown quantity - and dangerous as they're out to make an impression.
Looking at our pre-season, we've got a better balanced side than last term and the squad is a mixture of youth and experience. Having said that, it's imperative that we get off to a winning start tonight as there is a difficult game away at Cadiz next weekend.
It looks likely that new 6ft 4in Serbian striker Dejan Lekic will be on the bench as he's still not 100% match fit, so Colunga and Brandon may start up front. Oscar Diaz is suspended after being dismissed in our penultimate game last season against Cordoba. I was under the impression that players started a new season with a clean sheet, but it appears card counts don't carry over but suspensions do. As Diaz was given a two-match ban, the first one was served in our last game in Valladolid.
One player who has definitely gone is Ghanaian defender Kasim Adams who passed a medical and signed for Swiss club Young Boys on Thursday. Good luck to them with him.
Last season was another of those wrought with tension, our very existence decided on the last day of the season. Please, please don't let this happen again, my nerves couldn't take another jangling. This time around I'll be quite happy to see Mallorca in the top half of the league come the Christmas break and then push on for the promised land in the New Year.
Our fan base is around the 9,100 mark and the nucleus of them have stuck by the team since we were relegated four seasons ago. These are our best ticket sales figures for a few years, and it goes to show that there are still people out there who would rather be at the ground cheering their team on than sitting in some bar watching over-hyped football on TV.
Our faithful supporters are frustrated with results over the past few seasons and they deserve to get La Liga football back on the island. It's an exciting time at the start of any season and this one has maybe just a little more edge to it knowing that at last, financially, we're heading in the right direction. All we are saying now is give us the football to match our expectations.
Mallorca announced two major sponsors this week, Clinica Juaneda will have their name on the shorts and the OK rent-a-car group will have their logo on the sleeve. Air Europa will continue as a sponsor and they may well be on the front of the new Umbro shirts.
It was also reported this week that free-to-air new sports TV channel Gol will show two live Liga 1.2.3 games on Saturday and Sunday throughout the season.