Tamworth will provide the first opposition for newly-named FC Halifax Town next weekend.
The Lambs faced a free Saturday when their planned friendly with Leicester City was scrapped after new Foxes manager Nigel Pearson decided to take his squad on a pre-season training camp in Slovenia.
Now the Lambs will face the Yorkshire side, who have taken on the mantle of Halifax Town, expelled from the Conference with debts of £2 million. FC Halifax will kick off in the Uni-Bond League's Division One North.
The Lambs have shown their generosity by agreeing to pay all of the cash-strapped newcomers travel expenses for the trip to The Lamb.
Though Leicester have scrapped their 2008 match, they have agreed to send a side to face the Lambs in the 2009 and 2010 close seasons. nWould-be FA Cup giant-killers will also boost their coffers with record prize money.
The prize fund will increase by 69 per cent, with higher payments in every round, to a total of £16.4 million.
Prizes for the two preliminary-round ties have risen 50 per cent, while teams winning in the second round to earn the chance to play Manchester United or Liverpool will see their haul increase from £24,000 to £30,000.
A record number of 762 teams will enter the competition, which begins on August 16.
* Tom Bates and James Dancer have joined Atherstone Town as they prepare for their return to the Southern League.
The Midland Alliance champions have re-cruited former Leamington midfielder Bates from Coventry Sphinx, while front-runner Dancer has arrived from Coleshill Town.
Bates, a former Coventry City trainee who had a spell at Rochdale 12 months ago, will effectively replace Jai Stanley as playmaker after the latter moved to Leamington.
"Tom has a good pedigree and is a talent to watch," said manager Jimmy Ginnelly. "James is another player I've watched with interest. He scored 30 goals last season and I'm delighted I've talked him into joining Atherstone."
The Adders, who have lost defender Danny Haynes to Coalville Town, will be running the rule over a number of trialists in pre-season matches which start against Tamworth on Wednesday at Sheepy Road. nRushall Olympic manager Paul Holleran expects another "one or two" new signings within the next week to follow Nathan Lamey, Todd Perry and Alan Wilkes.
The Pics will have several trialists in their ranks when they kick off their pre-season programme tonight with a home fixture against Burton Albion (7.30) and Holleran says he feels he already has a stronger squad than the one which started 2007.
The capture of former Moor Green, Bromsgrove Rovers, Halesowen Town and Hednesford Town hot-shot Lamey is a coup and Holleran hopes his move can reignite his career after a frustrating spell at Chasetown.
Defender Perry has also arrived from the Scholars, while striker Wilkes has returned after a spell on loan last season from Walsall.
"When you turn the clock back 12 months and look where we are now it's a big improvement," said Holleran. Rushall will also hope Paul Szewczyk can finally erase his injury frustrations. Knee problems meant he has only been able to play a handful of games in the past 18 months but the former Hednesford, Halesowen and Bromsgrove forward is back training after having further cartilage operation.
