TODAY, www.thisistrafford kicks off the new football season with a bold statement - We're backing the Robins, are you?

The Moss Lane club has an illustrious past, peppered with FA Cup and Trophy successes and numerous league championships.

They have one of the longest list of honours in non-league today, and it is a record the fans, officials and players take great pride in.

However, past glories will not help the club out of its well-documented present difficulties. The club needs you to help it do that.

And Messenger is throwing its weight behind the effort with the launch of a new campaign - 'We're Backing the Robins, are you?'.

The north west has already shown at this summer's Commonwealth Games the success which can be achieved if people unite with a common purpose, and Messenger wants you to get involved.

We hope to see the stands at Moss Lane full for every game this season - thus ensuring a strong and vocal crowd to roar the Robins on to victory.

Keep an eye on the sports pages of this website and the Sale and Altrincham Messenger for the latest news from the campaign, and exclusive offers.

Messenger editor Lynn Hughes hailed the campaign, adding, "A football club and a local newspaper are essential aspects of any local area, and this link-up signals how much we want Robins to thrive and be successful.

"Altrincham is a very friendly club, and its time the public came out in force to show their support."

Altrincham board member Grahame Rowley said, "We're very pleased that Sam is getting behind the club - any extra support is greatly appreciated and can only help the club in the long run.

"Altrincham is a friendly, local club where the atmosphere on the terraces - terraces being something our more illustrious companions in the top divisions of football no longer have - is second to none."