BRADFORD Park Avenue will be back in training shortly, and new assistant manager Jamie Price is looking forward to seeing the close-season signings integrating with the squad.

Their first pre-season friendly is at Northern Counties East League outfit Selby Town on Tuesday, July 7.

With less than a month until then, Price, Avenue boss Martin Drury and the players are keen to get started.

Price said: “We have got the training rotas all sorted out and the lads are reporting back in at the back end of this month – maybe the week commencing June 22.

“The league starts a week earlier this season so we’ve got to get them in earlier too. The lads we have spoken to and got on board would come in tomorrow. They just want to get going, which is great.”

The new management team, who stepped up after working under John Deacey last season, have arranged six pre-season friendlies.

They begin with Selby and then Yorkshire Amateurs before stepping it up to take on Farsley Celtic and National League neighbours FC Halifax Town and Guiseley.

Price added: “I think we’ve got a good mix of opposition, so it should be a good build-up to the new season. We’re sorted with our training venue and we’ve been speaking to the lads over the last couple of weeks.

“They tend to look after themselves over the summer these days and they’ll come back ready to start some serious work.”

Price will also be putting himself through the rigorous pre-season training schedule as he will still be a registered player.

However, he hopes he and Drury’s recruitment policy will mean that there are better players on board keeping him out of the team.

“I will still make myself available as a player but my main focus is to get players in that are ahead of me in the pecking order,” said Price.

“I’ll be a back up for us as and when needed. I’m capable of playing in a couple of positions, so that helps the squad and helps us work within the budget. It’s still a big part for me and I still want to get games under my belt.

“But Martin and me are a team now and we want the best for the club, and if we can do that without me playing, all the better.

"I hope we only have to use me sparingly, save my legs. If we can get the 11 in the team or 16 in the squad out there without needing me then that’s great."

Pre-season fixtures: 7/7/15 (7.45pm) – Selby Town (A); 11/7/15 (3pm) – Yorkshire Amateur (A); 18/7/15 (3pm) – Farsley Celtic (A); 20/7/15 (7.45pm) – FC Halifax Town (H); 25/7/15 (3pm) – Guiseley (H); 1/8/15 (3pm) – Shaw Lane Aquaforce (A).