The First Team returned to Bridge Road on Thursday evening for their first session together since lockdown with Lance putting the lads through a tough fitness session. The squad went through a gruelling series of bleep tests and other equally “enjoyable” exercises so that individual levels of fitness could be measured. This will allow future group and individual fitness plans to be established as preparation begins for a return to competitive action which could happen as soon as September 1st in the FA Cup.
Most of last season’s squad were in attendance and Lance confirmed the following players had completed registration forms and would be with us for the coming season:
Andy Ballester
Dan Brown
James Chivers
George Coy
Danny Gould
Buster Harradine
Evan Key
Alfie Lawrence
Lewis Mair
Lewis McDonald
Sam Roach
Lee Smith
Simon Swinton
Lance hopes to be able to confirm Ed Rolph, Max York and Phil Peachey in the next few days and is also currently in discussions with a number of potential new signings. Further news will follow on those in due course if and when negotiations are successfully concluded.
Pat Bexfield is unlikely to be re-joining the squad for the coming season as his increasingly busy work schedule is making it more and more difficult for him to commit to regular training and matches for a season that could be extremely hectic. Discussions continue though and we’ll confirm the outcome once known but Miles Smith however will not be returning to Bridge Road.
We will also be in a position to confirm a number of pre-season friendly fixtures soon and these will be announced in coming days.