Alex Palmer says he is relishing the tag of being Championship title favourites ahead of the Town’s second-tier season getting underway against Birmingham City next Friday.
The Blues have been installed as the favourites before a ball has been kicked off the back of relegation from the Premier League, but travel to the West Midlands as the betting underdogs on the night.
Friday’s upwardly mobile hosts return to the Championship themselves having set a new EFL record 111 points in storming their way to the League One title last term.
Asked about being viewed as the side to beat, Palmer said: "I think we can only relish that. Teams are going to make it difficult for us this season but that’s where we’re going to make sure that we’re on it and go into it with a clear structure.
"It’s going to be a tough season, no Championship season is easy, so we’re going to be ready for it and I can’t wait for next Friday.
"It’s going to be a big game under the lights. It’s going to be full guns blazing so we know what to expect and we know what we’re going there to do.
"We make no bones about it, [promotion] is what we’re aiming for and we want to keep on that rise albeit we had a difficult season last season.
"I still feel like the club’s taking the right steps in the right direction. Fingers crossed we can keep building as a team and getting better and better.”
Palmer, who has three seasons of senior experience at Championship level for West Bromwich Albion, features in Town side with no shortage of second tier nous.
Leif Davis, Jacob Greaves and Sammie Szmodics have all featured in the division’s Team of the Season, while Jack Clarke, Jaden Philogene and Conor Chaplin have all been among the league’s best players in previous seasons.
"It’s a good base for a team to build on,” Palmer said. "We’ve got a lot of Championship experience here and being quite a young squad so that’s going to prove pivotal.
"With additions like Ash [Ashley Young] who is going to be huge for us with his experience and knowledge, we’re only going to get better.”
One Town player widely tipped for a successful season is frontman George Hirst, who scored his fourth goal of pre-season in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over French top flight side AJ Auxerre.
The Scotland international has taken the number nine shirt during this summer’s friendlies and looks set to enter the upcoming season as the Blues’ main centre-forward.
The striker is the current second favourite for the Championship’s Golden Boot, behind only Southampton’s Cameron Archer.
On Hirst’s form, Palmer said: "We know what he’s like and what he’s capable of, I don’t think it’s shocked anyone. He’s a great player, we’re lucky to have him and I’m sure he’s going to have a great season.
"I don’t see any shift in him. He goes about his business well, even last season when minutes were limited he still came on and showed he’s a goalscorer and that’s what he is. I’m sure he’s going to have a positive season.
"As a striker I imagine he wears [the number nine] with great pride. That’s what he wants to be and fair play to him, he’s gone for it and he’s shown in pre-season why he’s been given it.”