Lancaster back in training as preparations begin for start of new season

Mark Fell believes he has got Lancaster City’s pre-season preparations just about right as they aim to hit the ground running for the start of the season.
Lancaster boss Mark FellLancaster boss Mark Fell
Lancaster boss Mark Fell

The Dolly Blues boss believes his men could steal a march over the rest of their NPL Premier Division rivals when the season kicks off.

With the LFA Challenge Trophy final against Prestwich Heys – carried over from the 2019-20 season – likely to take place in early August, Fell is looking to make sure his team are primed to go well before the league season is due to start on the 14th of that month.

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And with a packed pre-season fixture list – including games against Football League outfits Barrow and Carlisle United – to look forward to, City should be close to peak condition when the competitive action gets underway.

“I am fairly positive that the final will be held early August,” said Fell, who welcomes his men back for their first pre-season session this evening.

“We are still awaiting confirmation on that but that’s why I have got us in for pre-season training now. It will give us a six-week run to the first week of August – effectively it will be a full pre-season to get us ready for that week.

“The lads are back in tonight and then we are actually going to give them Saturday off because England play Scotland tomorrow night.

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“It’s going to be probably one of the biggest games they will watch of the summer and so I didn’t think it would be fair to have them in the morning after that match.

“But after that, they will be in Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday for double sessions until we have our first pre-season fixture.”

Fell revealed that he has handed his squad a fitness plan over the past few weeks to ensure that they are in decent condition for this evening’s first session.

“I did leave the lads alone for a few weeks,” said Fell. “I wanted them to have a proper rest before we started ramping things back up.

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“We have given out some fitness plans over the past couple of weeks because we want them back in fairly fit.

“We know that we have had to have them in a little bit earlier than usual compared to other clubs because of the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy final.

“So we want to hit the ground running and I expect the lads will be in decent nick fitness-wise tonight.”