THE summer break is almost over and I'm really looking forward to having the squad back this Friday for pre-season training.

It is never an enjoyable time for footballers because it involves a lot of hard work and getting yourself back into shape.

But, on a personal note, I've had the taste to get back on the football pitch since last season's Conference play-offs when Carlisle United won promotion.

The celebration and the achievement with my former club gave me more incentive to try and repeat a similar feat with Worcester. I want to get this side promoted.

All of the players had fitness assessments at the end of last season at University College Worcester and everyone was given an individual programme to stick to.

It was a programme beneficial for the players, telling them how to stay in the best possible shape, keeping them strong and fit.

It's vitally important for the players to stay fit during the summer and adhere to the programme. If they haven't, assistant Andy Morrison and myself will work them hard.

Ability-wise, there is no real difference between non-league players and Football League players. But fitness-wise, non-league players are behind the professionals and it's an area that can be improved.

Everybody can improve their fitness levels, whether its large or very small improvements. You can never stop learning about how to improve your fitness and how to look after your body better.

We must keep improving, keep learning and look at different aspects of fitness because there are a lot of fresh and innovative ideas out there.

This Saturday and Sunday, we will be training at King's School in Worcester. It will be quite intensive because we need to get into it as quickly as possible.

July 14, our first pre-season friendly date with Carlisle, is not that far away really and it does not provide us with a lot of time before that game. We have to get as much work in as we can.

Training will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays leading up to the friendlies. It's going to be hard work and we will really put the work in.

But we plan to make sessions as enjoyable as we can. Most of the work will be done with the ball -- all of the old training stuff has gone now.

I'm sure the players will enjoy it more if, at the end of the season, everything has gone to plan and we achieve our goals.

There is a better opportunity of gaining promotion next season because two Nationwide North teams are now guaranteed to go up into an expanded Conference league in 2006/07.

But with that, other teams will be determined to win the race and many are signing a lot of new players to get there.

Northwich Victoria have been forced into our league and they are going to do unbelievably well if they keep their players from last season.

They survived the Conference bottom three despite having 10 points deducted, so there is quality in their squad and they will be tough.