AFC Telford United goalkeeper Ryan Young has vowed to make the most of his long-awaited chance to play in the top tier of non-League football.

The 31-year-old, who is one of Telford’s longest serving players, previously served as cover to Chris MacKenzie when Nuneaton were in the Conference Premier back at the turn of the millennium.

But this looks set to be the first time that he will play at this level as an established No 1 – even though Bucks boss Andy Sinton has made no secret of his desire to bring in a second keeper to provide competition.

“I’m sure I’ll have someone breathing down my neck but I’m really looking forward to it,” said Young, who kept a record 24 clean sheets in all competitions last season.

“I think I’ve deserved it and I’ve done a good job in the last year. Hopefully I can have another good season and you never know what may happen then.”

A recent poll in a national publication ranked Young as the sixth best keeper outside the Football League and the Isle of Wight-born ace is determined to live up to that billing.

“I was very happy with that, I have to admit,” he said. “Everybody who was placed above me were professionals and I’m part-time so it meant a lot.”

Young is confident that that Telford will be able to hold their own in a league packed with former Football League clubs such as Lincoln City, Stockport County, Luton Town and Wrexham.

“We have to be realistic, it’s going to be tough and there probably will be games where we get beat by three or four now and then,” he said.

“But it’s all about how you bounce back from those situations. We are confident we will cope and we aren’t thinking about survival – we want to finish as high as we can.”

By CHRIS HUDSON