Elliott List is confident Stevenage can shake off their perennial strugglers tag and shock a few people this season.

The first round of fixtures in League Two takes Boro up to Tranmere Rovers tomorrow (Saturday) and while tipsters have the side in the bottom five again, the 25-year-old striker is not so sure.

And with victories over West Brom and Derby County as well as a draw with Peterborough United in an unbeaten sequence, there is a mood of quiet confidence around the Lamex Stadium.

He said: "People aren’t going to have us as favourites or even contenders but we don’t mind being underdogs and I’m sure we will surprise a few people.

"The mood is really good. We’re undefeated and we’re going into games thinking we’re going to win.

"Pre-season went really well. All of the boys are feeling confident, we’re scoring goals and not conceding many so we’re looking forward to the start of the season.

"That’s a great way to be and we’ll give it our all.

"As a team we want to be higher up the league and looking up, rather than down."

While some view pre-season as a fun time, List is more of the opinion that it is a necessary evil.

But the first one under new manager Steve Evans has been an eye-opener for him, one he has rather enjoyed.

He said: "It is always tough and never enjoyable but it is needed.

"The management team have been really good. They have been pushing us to make sure we are sharper in every game.

"They’ve been giving us tips and techniques and the stuff that we need.

"You can see that on the pitch with the results we’ve been getting.

"[Steve Evans] has his own personality and he definitely brings that to the training ground and it has positively affected us.

"He sets a standard that you know has to be met every day and you know you can’t take your foot off the gas for a split second.

"It can’t hurt to always be at 100 per cent.

"The new boys have settled in very well. It has only been a month or two since we’ve met but it feels like we’ve known them for much longer.

"We’re in good stead."

From a personal point of view, the friendly fixtures have just been what he needed, with List scoring five in seven matches

And he feels ready to take that form into the competitive games.

He said: "We’ve played a couple of different formations and no matter what the formation, I just try to do the same things.

"If I can do that well enough and we work well as a team, we should hopefully do well.

"Personally, I want more goals than last year but I say that every year.

"I feel fit, I feel ready and excited for the season."