Phil Roper believes Wimbledon Hockey Club will be up mixing it at the business end of the table this season as they prepare to build upon last year’s work.

Last season Wimbledon finished a solid sixth in the Premier Division of the NOW: Pension’s Men’s Hockey League after promotion in 2012/2013.

As they prepare to embark on their second term, England and Great Britain player Roper believes the club must aim even higher, with a spot at the season’s ending Championship finals a bare minimum.

The team have been strengthened by a number of additions, including Roper’s international teammate James Bailey in goal and Ian Sloan, also of the England Hockey centralised training programme.

And with champions Beeston and East Grinstead having ruled the roost in recent years, Roper believes it is about time Wimbledon added themselves to the mix.

“We’ve done some really good recruiting this year, we’ve got some nice strong young team and we’re looking to cement a fourth or better finish with the team we’ve have,” said Roper, whose open their campaign with a trip to local rivals Hampstead and Westminster on Saturday.

“We think that it is a realistic aim. We are always trying to build or get better and we’re really hungry to make the Championship finals.

“We’ve got a couple of really good players that have come in, Ian Sloan is a really good young talent from Loughborough looking to cement a place in the centralised programme.

“Also James Bailey has just joined, he’s a fantastic goalkeeper which is always amazing to have.

“Our main aim over the next three, four years is to get our name amongst the top teams and really push on and be feared by anyone who plays us.

“It’s important to get off to a good start so we looking forward to the game against Hampstead and Westminster.”

Surrey Comet:

International duty: Phil Roper in his England colours against Scotland in the summer's Investec London Cup       Picture: Ady Kerry

Roper himself will start the season full of confidence following a summer which saw him achieve his biggest international success to date with bronze with England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

And after returning to hockey this week after a short break, the 22-year-old was already targeting more silverware at the Champions Trophy in India this December.

“I’m feeling pretty good after three and a half weeks off, it is quite rare to have that amount of time off and it was good to regenerate after a really busy summer,” he added.

“Having recently come into the programme and been fighting for my place, I got picked for the Commonwealth which was massive for me and then to come away with a medal was amazing.

“The next two years are huge in our build up and what we do in trying to get a medal at Rio.

“Everything is focused on that, from the Champions Trophy this year and then going through to Olympic qualification, we’ve really got to push on and keep winning medals.”

NOW: Pensions is the official sponsor of the England Men’s Hockey League. Follow @NOWhockey or go to www.nowpensions.com.