With a step up in division to prepare for after securing promotion in May, Darlington return for pre-season training next week, yet they have already been doing plenty of fitness work this month. Deputy Sports Editor Craig Stoddart speaks to manager Martin Gray and left-back-cum-fitness coach Ian Watson about Quakers’ new fitness measures

PRE-SEASON is edging closer with Darlington’s friendlies commencing a week on Saturday at Durham City and they should be ready for action – they have been put through their paces since the beginning of the month.

They begin training as a team on Tuesday, though steps have been taken to ensure their fitness has been maintained since the final game of last season.

Manager Martin Gray was disappointed with his players’ preparations 12 months ago, citing the number of holidays some had as having an impact, so this time around wanted to ensure they are in the best condition possible.

As Quakers look ahead to the new campaign in the Evo-Stik Premier Division after winning promotion via the play-offs in May, left-back Ian Watson has been tasked with training his team-mates, pushing them physically and mentally.

Watson, who has recently completed a degree in nutrition and strength and conditioning at Northumbria University, has been overseeing twice weekly sessions at a gym in Washington.

Although not mandatory to attend, Gray explained: “I found it really frustrating last year when certain lads missed too much of pre-season. Some of them had two or three holidays, so I said to them that the opportunity is there to come in a few weeks earlier and Ian is taking the sessions.

“The idea was to give them a month’s head start, eight sessions altogether, before I get hold of them as a group.

“I’m trying to get a bit of extra work into them, so that when they do go on holiday they will not have missed too much. I don’t want to overdo it, they need time off and there’s been no pressure on them to go, some will have done their own thing. It’s been an option.

“I spoke to Ian beforehand and talked through what they would do. Ian is a trainer, he knows more about conditioning and core work than I do, and it can only make the players fitter and stronger.”

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Watson, who has also held sessions for Northern League club Shildon and some Gateshead players, plus Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele, who is from Newton Aycliffe, reports that Quakers have made the most of the sessions.

He said: “David Dowson has been absolutely flying, fit as a lop, Stephen Thompson has been really fit and has listened to everything that I’ve said. He’s feeling better in himself and is looking really sharp.

“The players have been on top of their fitness and they’re looking sharp. Everyone is buzzing for the season to start with us getting promoted.

“All the lads are in on Saturday and we officially start pre-season with Martin on Tuesday. What I’ve said to the players is that if we work hard here we won’t have to work as hard when pre-season starts and we’ll be able to get the balls out quicker.”

Such hopes may be wishful thinking, however, as Gray added: “I pride my team on fitness and I work them hard, there’s no question about it. They’re going to be worked harder than they ever have done in the three years I’ve been manager.

“They’d better prepare themselves for a real tough one because it’s going to be gruelling. We’re going up a division so we have to up the standards.

“They’re going to be coming into a real tough programme with me, so this is why they’d better get themselves ready for it.”

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Those that have been under Watson’s tutelage should certainly be ready having experienced his carefully-prepared sessions.

He said: “My passion is strength and conditioning work, tailoring sessions specific to a sport, and obviously with the Darlo lads it’s specific to football. That means strengthening movements that they’re going to do on the pitch.

“It’s a strength session for the first ten-15 minutes, then some core work or resistance sprints – when they have resistance bands on – and then we do some work technique, making sure the lads are running properly.

“We’ve used agility ladders, which is about getting their feet moving with heavy legs, and we finish with metabolic conditioning. It takes them mentally to somewhere they’ve never been before.

“When it comes to playing football you get tired, but in your mind you’ve never been as tired as when you’re doing this.”

A pre pre-season – players undertaking fitness work well before the first week in July – has become an increasing trend in the game, even at semi-pro level.

With the previous season having barely finished, many now take to social media to boast of their training exploits.

“Players are becoming fitter and stronger,” added Watson. “Players see other players doing something and want to do the same.

“It’s a development of the game. Three years ago, for example, football teams were scared of doing Olympic weightlifting, they thought it was too risky for injuries. But rugby players have been doing it for years and if you look at the little strains and injuries, they hardly get any compared to footballers. Ronaldo started doing it about two years, so since then clubs think it’s the way to go.

“There’s definitely cause for rest, we all need rest, but footballers don’t need three months rest. We need to be building up to the season starting so that you’re at your peak when the season starts.

“I think everyone is catching on to it now, even in our league everyone is fit.”

* Quakers’ season begins on Saturday, August 15, while their fixture list will be announced next month.