"This year I'm hoping you'll see the best of me" - Town striker Harker hoping to pick up where he left off last season

Only three teams scored fewer goals in the National League than Town last season, with their lack of killer instinct one of the fans' main gripes throughout the campaign.

After a slow-burner of a season, Harker's four goals in his last five league games hinted at what could be to come as he and the team ended the campaign bang in form.

The 23-year-old is hoping that purple patch means he will start the new season as Chris Millington's first choice striker.

"Going from the end of last season, I'm hoping I'd put a strong foot forward for that," he said.

"I think that was the most run of games I've had consecutively at Halifax.

"Earlier in the season was the learning side, where I'd come on and score, and then the next game I'd be back on the bench and I'd think 'what have I got to do to play?' so at the end of the season, to be rewarded with those starts and be scoring and playing well, that's me, that's what I want.

"I want to play a lot of games this year and score a lot of goals."

Harker admits there was "a lot of learning" last season and that he had to stay mentally strong at times.

"I had a few blips but I came through and overall I think I ended up with a good amount of goals for the time I played," he said.

"A lot of learning about men's football, my first year in men's football, a lot of growing, on and off the pitch.

"Dealing with not starting, coming into a men's environment, which is a lot different to under 23s.

"We had tough periods as a group, sometimes it's not always nice in a dressing room, but I guess you learn from that.

"You watch it all, I kept my head down as one of the younger lads, and learnt."

When asked if Halifax fans have seen the best of him yet, Harker is unequivocal.

"No. Maybe in glimpses, but this year I'm hoping you'll see the best of me.

"I'm hoping for a lot of goals.

"A lot of running, a lot of movement, fighting for every ball, and goals. A lot of goals."

Exactly what Town need after drawing too many blanks last season, and failing to take their chances.

"We've got Cookie, Milli, me, Ange, other lads chipping in with a fair few hopefully," Harker said.

"We didn't start very well at all last year so that doesn't help with things.

"It takes time to come together, we were a brand new group last year.

"I played a lot with Milli and Cookie last year so I'm hoping we can continue that. I think it'll be an exciting year this year.

"We're all itching for it now, we're all very excited.

"Me, Cookie and Milli have had little chats about how many we're going to get.

"I want goals and assists, I want to bring that part to my game as well."

Harker has set himself a target of around 20 to 25 goals this season.

"If I can get somewhere near that I'll be reasonably happy but I want to get especially above 20 this year," he said.

"I got 10 last year with not that much game time, so I think 20, if I play the amount of minutes I'm hoping for, then I don't see why that's not possible for me."

Harker feels he and the rest of the Town squad who were part of their Wembley triumph in May can take a lot of confidence and belief from the experience.

"Obviously Wrexham and Notts County got promoted and it was a cup they were in, and we won it, that all the teams in our league were in," he said.

"It shows where we came from at the start of the season to where we got to.

"Now the next step for us is can we have a better start, can we push on and be exciting to watch?

"If we start winning the games we should have won last year against teams lower down the league and keep the same performances against the top teams, I'm sure we'll be right up there this year."

Harker is one of several young players in the Town squad who should benefit from having had a full season at National League level, as well as Jamie Cooke, Angelo Cappello, Jamie Stott, Milli Alli and Tylor Golden.

"It's a lot younger, it's a lot fresher," Harker said of this season's squad.

"I think it's going to be more exciting, we've brought some exciting lads in.

"We're all quick, energetic. We're not scared, we're young, we want to prove ourselves.

"We've set our own little goals in terms of what we want from each other.

"We're ready to go."