When Emmet Bolton walked into the inter-county sunset last October, he delivered a glowing appraisal of Kildare's future prospects.
"I have no doubt there is silverware on the horizon," he said, "and I look forward to supporting you on the journey".
The 31-year-old half-back had helped the Lilywhites complete back-to-back promotions the previous spring and push them back into Division 1 of the Allianz Football League, while playing a part in an up-and-down Championship that produced flashes of serious quality but ultimately ended with a disappointing Round 4A qualifier defeat to Armagh.
Along the way they swaggered past Laois in the Leinster quarters, obliterated Meath in the semis and occasionally rattled the Dubs in the decider, eventually falling away in the second half but showing enough to offer their supporters real encouragement.
It made that loss against the Orchard County - under the guidance of their old boss Kieran McGeeney - sting a little more.
There was a feeling within the county that the summer ended well before it should have, though frustration was tempered by the emergence of some fine young talent.
This year, they get to sharpen their claws in the brutally competitive top division, kicking off with a Croke Park date under the Saturday night lights against the Dubs. It's a hell of a start, but Bolton believes this could be the making of Cian O'Neill's team. It's fight or exit top flight.
"The mental side of things is an area that needs a little bit of work," he tells RTÉ Sport.
"For a team like Kildare that has such a young age demographic on the panel there at the minute - I think the average age last year was 24, 25 - to go up and play these teams you need a tough mental resolve.
"You saw how we kind of wilted against Armagh when it was put up to us. Physically and mentally we struggled.
"When you're playing against the likes of Dublin, Monaghan, Donegal, Tyrone, you need a tough mental resolve along with your ability to be able to dig out games, whether it's in Ballybofey, down in Tralee or in Croke Park.
"The likes of Dublin, Mayo and Kerry separate themselves from the chasing pack because mentally they are so strong. These guys are winners. They want to get on the ball and make a difference, to get the next score or make the next tackle.
"It's an area that Kildare have probably slackened off on ever since Kieran McGeeney left. Over the course of the pre-season I imagine Cian did a lot of work with the lads because ability wise, I wouldn't have an issue. It's just mentally the guys need a good bit of work.
"Playing these guys week in week out over the course of the league will help hugely when it comes to the Championship, and that's what it's about. It's going to be a massive challenge for the lads."
There's no bedding-in period either. After the Dubs, Kildare face Monaghan and then Tyrone. Survival is the aim, and lessons must be taken on board quickly if that's to be achieved.
The Lilywhites' swift leap to the top tier means they're in for a steep learning curve. Bolton acknowledges that the better teams have exposed their flaws, but this is an opportunity to learn away from the intensity of championship football and prepare for future hurdles.
"You're playing against the top defences in the country so what worked in getting from Division 3 to Division 2 to Division 1 might not work this year, so I'm looking to see how they react in terms of forward play, structures and game plans," adds Bolton.
"Defensively as well we've been a little bit porous when we've played the top teams. I'm looking to see how the guys tighten up. The All-Ireland winner generally comes out of Division 1. You've got to be in it to win it. They're in there now, they'll learn from these games.
"I'm excited to see how they get on. There's a good young panel there at the minute. Ability wise it's the best panel I've seen for a long time in Kildare."
Opening the league campaign against the Dubs at HQ is a daunting, but mouthwatering prospect for any footballer.
While Bolton says he's enjoyed putting the feet up this winter - "Jaysus I am! I thought I'd miss it more" - he knows there'll be a part of him longing to squeeze on the boots once the action throws in.
Jim Gavin's winning machine are the benchmark for the rest of the country. Can Kildare lay a glove on them this weekend and in Leinster?
"There's always a chance in a two-horse race," the Eadestown man stresses. "The ability in Kildare at the minute is extremely exciting and extremely positive.
"We're a bit behind Dublin judging on last year. We're there or thereabouts. They're probably six or seven points ahead of us. I'm excited to see how the guys react. It's a massive task for them on Saturday night.
"They'll want to set down a marker. Every team trying to set out to win an All-Ireland now, realistically you're trying to beat Dublin. You need to go away and come back with a game plan that's going to beat them.
"If it's good enough to beat Dublin, you'd hope it's good enough to beat any other team."
Allianz Football League Division 1
DUBLIN
It's back to business for the All-Ireland champions. Paul Clarke took the reins for the O'Byrne Cup once again where a youthful panel failed to progress to the semi-finals. The big guns return for the league after a team holiday in South Africa but Jim Gavin will likely take a look at some fresh blood over the spring. Kerry brought the Dubs' 36-match unbeaten run to an end in last year's final, but while the Kingdom won the battle, the Sky Blues won the war. They are chasing a fourth Sam Maguire on the bounce this year.
Manager: Jim Gavin (sixth season in charge)
Captain: Stephen Cluxton
Last year's finish: 1st (beaten by Kerry in the final)
New players to watch: Colm Basquel caught the eye 12 months ago in the O'Byrne Cup though Gavin held him back in the Championship. He's expected to kick on this year and comes in off the back of another strong pre-season.
Players unavailable: Five-time All-Ireland winner Denis Bastick retired back in November.
KILDARE
Two promotions on the spin have pushed Kildare up to the top tier and they start with a trip to Dublin before hosting Monaghan and Tyrone. Survival in a ruthlessly competitive division is the aim and those three games will make or break their ambitions. The commitment to the cause from the likes of Kevin Feely, Daniel Flynn and Paddy Brophy gave the county a huge shot in the arm last year. A solid first year in Division 1 could be the springboard for a good crack at Leinster and involvement in the inaugural Super 8s.
Manager: Cian O'Neill
Captain: Eoin Doyle
Last year's finish: 2nd in Division 2, (beaten by Galway in final, promoted)
New players to watch: Full-back Michael Kelly opted out of the panel 12 months ago due to other commitments but he's on board this year. Midfielder Daniel Courtney trialled for Aussie Rules three years ago and was part of the Lilywhite minor team that won Leinster in 2015. He comes in alongside the 2016 minor captain Brian McLoughlin, an exciting forward .
Players unavailable: Emmet Bolton has retired, Conor Hartley is recovering from a knee injury, Con Kavanagh and Shea Ryan plan to travel while work commitments rule Shane McNamara out.
KERRY
Kerry bloodied Dublin's with a deserved league final success in Croke Park last April and kicked on to a comprehensive Munster final defeat of Cork. An All-Ireland semi-final replay loss to Mayo was the last hurrah for old warrior Bryan Sheehan. Kerry, along with Tipperary, opted out of the McGrath Cup this year due to the earlier start to the league.
Manager: Eamon Fitzmaurice
Captain: Fionn Fitzgerald
Last year's finish: 2nd (beat Dublin in the final)
New players to watch: Every football supporter in the country will be intrigued to see how David Clifford progresses this campaign. Fitzmaurice named the minor sensation in his starting 15 for the opener against Donegal and he will most likely be part of the championship squad, though Jack O'Connor intends to use him for the Under-20s too. Sean O'Shea is another excellent minor prospect to watch out for over the next few weeks.
Players unavailable: Five-time All-Ireland champion Bryan Sheehan hung up his inter-county boots in November. Jonathan Lyne is not part of the panel this year.
DONEGAL
Donegal have a McKenna Cup final against Tyrone to negotiate in the middle of this league campaign and new manager Declan Bonner will get ample opportunity to get a look at his panel. They were very close to getting to the league final last year, pipped by Kerry on score difference,but a disappointing championship followed and culminated with Rory Gallagher stepping away following big defeats to Tyrone and Galway.
Manager: Declan Bonner (1st season in charge)
Captain: Michael Murphy
Last year's finish: 3rd
New players to watch: Nathan Mullins (son of Dub legend Brian) is an athletic and promising addition to the midfield. Odhran MacNiallais is back after a year's sabbatical in New York, as is Leo McCloone, who also opted out last year to stay in the Big Apple. Michael Murphy, Neil McGee, Frank McGlynn, Paddy McGrath and Martin McElhinney will all be sidelined until the middle of the campaign, so the likes of Niall O’Donnell, Stephen McBrearty and Caolan McGonagle could get their chance.
Players unavailable: Persistent back problems forced Neil Gallagher to call it a day last spring, while former Footballer of the Year Karl Lacey retired in the wake of the All-Ireland SFC Round 4A qualifier hammering to the Tribesmen.
MONAGHAN
Another county who came within a whisker of making last year's decider, Monaghan fell to the Dubs in the All-Ireland quarters after coming through the qualifiers. Conor McCarthy and Jack McCarron both impressed on the scenic route and the Farney will hope they continue to mature in 2018.
Manager: Malachy O'Rourke
Captain: Colin Walshe
Last year's finish: 4th
New players to watch: David Garland rattled in 1-04 in the McKenna Cup defeat of Queens while 20-year-old defender Paraic McGuirk and midfielder Niall Kearns are others expected to make an impact in their first year of senior football.
Players unavailable: Carrickmacross man Stephen Gollogly announced his retirement before Christmas; apart from that, O'Rourke has a full deck to choose from.
MAYO
With the 2017 All-Ireland final squad on a team holiday in Malaysia, Stephen Rochford put together a whole new panel for the start of FBD Connacht League and had a look at over 40 players in their four games. That they only gained one win in those matches won't upset too many Mayo supporters as they build towards an improvement on what was a decent league effort 12 months ago.
Manager: Stephen Rochford
Captain: Cillian O'Connor
Last year's finish: 5th
New players to watch: Pakistan-born defender Sharoize Akram made his first appearance at senior level in the fiery FBD League loss to Galway and is highly rated in the county. James Carr, a strapping presence in the forward line, won an All-Ireland with the Under-21s in 2016 and trained with the seniors last summer but didn't get a taste of Championship action. Another forward, Fionn McDonagh, caught the eye this month and has been turning heads with Westport for the last couple of years.
Players unavailable: Two-time All Star forward Alan Dillon retired in November. Donal Vaughan and Seamus O'Shea could miss most of the league due to injury, while Lee Keegan and Chris Barrett are rehabbing and will miss out on the early rounds.
GALWAY
It hasn't been an ideal pre-season for the Tribesmen. Retirements and injuries have trimmed Kevin Walsh's panel and they had the frustration of their FBD League match against Mayo in MacHale Park being called off close to throw-in. They have booked a place in the FBD League final against Roscommon on 18 February, but the priority this spring will be staying in this division after earning promotion lats year.
Manager: Kevin Walsh
Captain: Gary O'Donnell
Last year's finish: 1st in Division 2, (beat Kildare in final, promoted)
New players to watch: Classy full-back Sean Andy O’Ceallaigh was a big part of the Under-21s' run to the All-Ireland final last year, where they were beaten by Dublin. He, along with goalkeeper Ronan Ó Beoláin and forwards Peter Cooke and Sean Kelly all graduate to the senior ranks this year and will be given their opportunity this spring with the Corofin contingent tied up in their club's drive for All-Ireland glory.
Players unavailable: Gary Sice, Finian Hanley and Michael Meehan have all retired. Fiontán Ó Curraoin and Michael Daly are both unlikely to see league action due to injury while captain Gary O’Donnell is recovering from an ankle problem but could play some part.
TYRONE
Nobody foresaw the 12-point loss to Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final, a limp surrender that was out of place with the performances that had got the Red Hands to the last four. In that respect, Mickey Harte can justifiably write it off as just one of those days and he is boosted this year with the welcome return of Connor McAliskey - after a cruciate injury decimated his season last year - and the addition of Stephen O'Neill to the back-room team.
Manager: Mickey Harte (16th season in charge)
Captain: Mattie Donnelly
Last year's finish: 6th
New players to watch: Defenders Brendan Burns, Ciaran McLaughlin and Michael McKernan all got the call before Christmas and played their part in getting the Red Hands into their seventh McKenna Cup final in a row.
Players unavailable: Two of Harte's stalwarts, Sean Cavanagh and Justin McMahon, have called it a day.
