Goalkeeper worked with Cobblers boss Page at Port Vale
Chris Neal expects a tough opening game at Rob Page's Northampton Town on Saturday.The goalkeeper signed for Fleetwood Town this summer from Port Vale - Page's former club where the pair worked together.
And Neal believes the Cobblers will still be high in confidence following last season's promotion from Sky Bet League 2.
Neal said: "Rob (Page) was my old manager from last season so I know him well, I know how he likes to set up his team.
"They have a strong, physical team and they must be high in confidence after last season so it will be a tough game.
"All of the promoted teams are strong this year so it’s going to be a strong league as well."
The Cod Army have released squad numbers this week and Neal has been handed the number one shirt.
But the 30-year-old insists shirt numbers do not guarantee a place in the line-up.
“I’ve not got the number one shirt here, we’ll just have to see what happens on Saturday," he said.
"Squad numbers don’t mean anything in football so we just have to wait and see.”
Neal has also been impressed by the start new First Team Head Coach Uwe Rosler has made since beginning on Monday.
He said: "We have done double training sessions on Monday and Tuesday, we did a lot of work in the sessions but the manager is getting us to play the way he wants to play, get his tactics across and that can only be positive for the club.
"He has already setup the way he wants the team to setup and he’s put his ideas into the lads and we’ve taken it on really well."