Farsley boss Neil Parsley admits that the club’s return from the close season is suspiciously just after the Euro 2012 Championship comes to an end - but he insists it was not planned for the benefit of his players.

The Throstle Nest squad return from their summer break on Tuesday, July 3 - just two days after the final of the tournament in Poland and the Ukraine.

Parsley said: “It is just a coincidence but it does just drop well for us. The reason behind the planning is that we wanted seven training sessions before our first pre-season game, which is at Thackley.

"Our league doesn’t start as early as some, so for us it’s all about getting the timing right.”

The close season may not quite have finished for his players but, like most managers, for Parsley it has been non-existent.

The weeks since the last campaign ended have been filled with ‘must-do’ lists.

“It never stops for us (managers) because we are talking to potential new signings, organising pre-season friendlies and dealing with back-room issues.

"We have got our list of warm-up games and we had hoped to add Halifax Town - that looks unlikely now but it depends on their schedule.

“The squad is taking shape after we released four, and it will remain at that. Not many more will be departing and we are busy negotiating with the three or four players we want to bring in.

"Unless someone becomes available who will improve our squad, I don’t envisage any other comings or goings.”