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City new boys get first taste of training

7:30am Thursday 2nd July 2009 in


City are bracing themselves for the first proper pre-season session on the training pitch today.

The squad, including summer signings Simon Ramsden, Gareth Evans and Jonathan Bateson as well as Zesh Rehman, came back into work yesterday for fitness check-ups.

Having been given programmes to work with since the end of last season, McCall expected his players to return in decent shape.

McCall said: “We’re not killing them. The sooner we can get them into kicking the balls the better but you can only do that if they’ve got a reasonable level of fitness.

“In my day you’d spend the first week to ten days of pre-season just running – but those were the days when you went away in the summer, did nothing and put a stone on.

“Now, with the progressive level of fitness that they were given in the programme, nobody should come back more than a couple of pounds over at most.”

The only player missing will be striker Peter Thorne, who has an agreement to return on Monday.

Guiseley striker James Hanson, who has been offered a trial, will not be at today’s first outdoor session. He is not due back from holiday until the weekend.

Meanwhile, former Huddersfield midfielder Mark Hudson has thrown his hat in the ring.

Hudson, who twice scored at Valley Parade in derby matches, is on the look-out for a new club after leaving Rotherham and would welcome an approach from the Bantams.

He said: “If Bradford were interested, I would definitely be interested in talking to them.

“A move to Bradford would excite me. I’ve spoken to Brando (Chris Brandon) and he’s only got good things to say about the club and the manager.”

Central midfield is certainly an area where McCall still wants to strengthen. He missed out on bringing back Nicky Law and Dean Furman, while Paul McLaren’s position remains unclear.

But with McCall keen for his side to toughen up next season, he may be looking for a more physical type of player for the engine-room role.

Comments(15)

blacksheep says...
8:09am Thu 2 Jul 09

Don't envy them training in this heat!!

Bring on August 8th!! :-)

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Meat Pie says...
8:57am Thu 2 Jul 09

Do you think we could practice set pieces this year.

Teams at our level must make the most of these opportunities and yet we seem to not have a clue at any/all corners or free-kicks.

Dagenham and Wycombe were excellent in this area.

We also need to be much fitter than we were last season.

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waynus71 says...
10:49am Thu 2 Jul 09

You would have thought that Hanson would have been busting a gut to start at the same time as the other boys so that he doesn't miss the boat. By the time he arrives, the other boys will be fitter, sharper and will have had a bit of ball work. He will therefore start behind others straight away. hasn't he had all summer to book his holiday?

As for Hudson, he is another player that I said we should move for. I don't understand Parker's "McCall may be looking for a more physical type of player for the engine-room role" comment. He is a similar player to Law but perhaps not quite as good and don't we still have Bully as the 'physical' player in midfield? If he isn't, what exactly is his role?

I say, if we can strike up a deal, Hudson would be a good signing for our central midfield.

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waynus71 says...
11:00am Thu 2 Jul 09

Alternatively to Hudson, we could try to hijack Grimsby's move for Sweeney, now he has been released from his contract by L33ds. In his loan spell at Grimsby towards the back end of the season, he showed a lot of promise and was partly responsible for their escape from relegation.

Go get one or both of them McCall.

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DonPedro says...
1:19pm Thu 2 Jul 09

NEWS FROM DARLO::::

DARLINGTON manager Colin Todd paraded his first nine summer recruits this morning with more expected to follow.

While none of the players have been able to officially sign contracts until the Quakers are clear of administration, Todd is satisfied he has landed the right men.

Only player-coach Dean Windass, the former Hull and Middlesbrough striker, was missing because he is not due back from holiday.

But Todd was still relieved to be showing off the first major stage of his rebuilding plans for the Darlington squad.

Only captain Steve Foster and fellow defender Ian Miller from the first team squad last season remain, but they were joined on the first day of pre-season training by nine new faces.

Goalkeeper David Knight, a winner of the 2004 FA Youth Cup with Middlesbrough, and former Boro Academy midfielder Gary Smith have been attracted to The Northern Echo Darlington Arena.

As have Polish Under-20 full-back Ben Starosta, former Darlington left-back Craig James and experienced Football League striker Lee Thorpe.

There are also double signings from Carlisle and Hull City, with Cumbrians pair Chris Lumsdon and Jeff Smith being joined by young Tigers duo Matty Plummer and James Bennett.

And Todd, hopeful of landing more, said: "It sends out a clear message that Darlington Football Club is well on the way to getting out of the mess it was in."

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waynus71 says...
1:42pm Thu 2 Jul 09

DonPedro wrote:
NEWS FROM DARLO:::: DARLINGTON manager Colin Todd paraded his first nine summer recruits this morning with more expected to follow. While none of the players have been able to officially sign contracts until the Quakers are clear of administration, Todd is satisfied he has landed the right men. Only player-coach Dean Windass, the former Hull and Middlesbrough striker, was missing because he is not due back from holiday. But Todd was still relieved to be showing off the first major stage of his rebuilding plans for the Darlington squad. Only captain Steve Foster and fellow defender Ian Miller from the first team squad last season remain, but they were joined on the first day of pre-season training by nine new faces. Goalkeeper David Knight, a winner of the 2004 FA Youth Cup with Middlesbrough, and former Boro Academy midfielder Gary Smith have been attracted to The Northern Echo Darlington Arena. As have Polish Under-20 full-back Ben Starosta, former Darlington left-back Craig James and experienced Football League striker Lee Thorpe. There are also double signings from Carlisle and Hull City, with Cumbrians pair Chris Lumsdon and Jeff Smith being joined by young Tigers duo Matty Plummer and James Bennett. And Todd, hopeful of landing more, said: "It sends out a clear message that Darlington Football Club is well on the way to getting out of the mess it was in."
Bower hasn't joined yet then? I heard a whisper he was on the verge of joining them for next season and that they had also been sniffing around Arnison.

RUMOURS - you just gotta love em!

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nhenryv says...
1:49pm Thu 2 Jul 09

Hope they are working at perfecting the lumping it up field and throwing it aimlessly down the line.

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jb bantam says...
4:35pm Thu 2 Jul 09

Mark Hudson is not the man we need in the middle of the park , good fringe player at best and given McCall has already indicated Bullock will be playing a big part next season we need someone more creative and mobile.

Notts County been busy again today and have signed Ben Davies from Shrewsbury , thought he was outstanding last season and will do really well for them , gutted we have missed out on Law and also gutted about Furman but least with Furman I knew the chances of City signing him were slim.

The Ramsden and young Macc striker we have signed are great additions just hope McCall uses the Lee wages to sign someone a lot better than Hudson.

Transfer targets are being snapped up as the days go on , I just hope McCall gets it right this year.

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yorkiewyke says...
4:50pm Thu 2 Jul 09

Agree4 wisth waynus if hanson was really keen he would have been first to AP. I see SP hasn`t noted that Nixxy has signed for Mansfield, typical

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barneybd10 says...
5:29pm Thu 2 Jul 09

hanson's expensive holiday was booked june 2008, last year, before a trial at city was even offered...McCall even told him not to cancel!

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DonPedro says...
5:37pm Thu 2 Jul 09

is this the same BarneyBD that plays for Andy Ryan????

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barneybd10 says...
5:40pm Thu 2 Jul 09

whose andy ryan???? obviously not mate..

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DonPedro says...
9:07am Fri 3 Jul 09

Ah never mind. I know a huy called Barney that plays football and is a city fan.

No worries

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waynus71 says...
9:21am Fri 3 Jul 09

Mark Hudson IS a creative player and gets forward pretty well. Last season, He scored 6 times last season and a total of 14 times in the last 2 seasons. That isn't bad from a midfielder. In addition, he created lots of chances for Rotherham's strikers. He is a creative midfielder, something we are badly lacking.

As for Hanson, I understand he may have booked his holiday last year before we agreed to give him a trial. My point is, he has been given his chance of a break-through and will come back 1 week behind the other players. From the start, he was will be playing catch-up. Could he not contact his agent as soon as the trial was offered and bring his holiday forward by 1 week. After all, this is his big chance and sitting on a beach whilst his potential new team mates are hard at it, doesn't bode well.

I hope he does make a success at City, but if his fitness is behind the other players and as a result fails to impress during HIS 2 WEEK TRIAL, he will have nobody but himself to blame.

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barneybd10 says...
1:50pm Fri 3 Jul 09

James Hanson is training whilst in Egypt, not sat on a beach all the time, he is running daily and going to the hotel's gym,he doesn't drink much either and is usually quite fit anyway, i don't see how he could have brought his holiday forward by a week.

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