Training Camp 2008 Wednesday 9^th July

It was a 33 strong party that headed out to southern Spain for this summers pre-season training camp. There were a few new faces in the group as Keith and Dave looked to bring the old and the new together ahead of the new season.

I thought it would be another interesting trip with many benefits for all involved as the squad looks to gel together and this made me think of a theme for the trip and at this time I've come up with a theme of "discovery".

It turned in to a great discovery for many in the party as they discovered that there are two 4 o'clocks in a day, everyone had to be up early and make there way to terminal 1 at Manchester airport for 5.30am.

As you can imagine there were more than a few bleary eyes as we descended upon the check in desks. It was again time for Flicker to spin his magic charm to ensure we didn't get charged any excess baggage on all the equipment we had with us.

Everyone was told to make sure that their cases didn't weigh more than 15kg to allow the difference between that and the allowance for our equipment. The majority of personnel complied with the instructions but there were those who just couldn't help themselves. Sam Russell was the biggest culprit and he glowed guiltily as he carried his case, before it had even reached the scales, his red face of exhaustion trying to lift his case gave him away and he weighed in at an amazing 22kgs- not even close Sam. This was another discovery moment as we all wanted to know what Sam had got in his case that weighed so much, Flicker reckoned it was sun screen and a large selection of head wear (Sam likes his caps even though he hasn't learnt which way round they go).

The rest of the journey was pretty uneventful although I was aware of someone plucking my hair from behind while I was trying to grab 40 winks on the plane, I might not have reacted then but you now know I know you were there Mr Hill.

Malaga airport was absolutely mad and it's a training session in itself trying to get from the plane to the baggage collection belts, Kallum Higginbotham was half way up the arrival hall before he realised our belt was the first one we passed.

We had a short 20 minute journey from the airport to our resort at the Hotel Sol Andalusia and it was stow the bags as a long awaited lunch was ready for us. Most notable incident here was Danny Hanford our young apprentice goalkeeper dropping his tray.

After lunch everyone checked in to their rooms and were given the afternoon off to relax although there was a massage clinic at 5.30 to loosen the lads up before the real work starts in the morning. 

In the early part of the afternoon I had another little discovery moment as Keith, Dave and I set off to have a look at the training pitches, which are just on the edge of the complex and about 5 minutes walk from the main reception. This doesn't seem far but I thought of the lads having to climb what is a very sharp incline on the way back after a hard training session in the searing heat, as for me having done it once I think I'll drive down.

This pitch inspection did not resemble any pitch inspection that we have experienced at Spotland in recent times. The conditions were absolutely perfect although thinking about it there are a number of National league officials who come to mind who would probably have said it wasn't playable.

Paul Conway and Jimmy Barrow joined us on the very impressive training ground and Dave and Keith were very happy with the surface and how they planned to use it, with  areas for warm ups, for the main session and a separate area for the goalkeepers to work in.

I spent a bit of the time in the afternoon setting my computer up on the internet with thanks going to our friend Dave Brereton at Myson pages, there you are Dave a well earned plug that you didn't expect.

After tea at 7pm I went off to pick up a late arrival to our party from the airport, I thought I did quite well as I only got lost once. A bit more discovery here as I discovered Spanish drivers are as impatient as English drivers with people who don't know where they are going.

Our friendly reliable kit man Jack is always a good source of amusement and as ever he hasn't let us down, he managed to fall asleep and miss his tea, he had to make do with a bag of revels and a bar of chocolate.

We are an hour ahead of the UK, so as I write my diary on my balcony the midges are starting to bite and I'm going to get some much needed beauty sleep.Hopefully our heroes are tucked up in bed after a long day but I suspect they'll be looking forward to their beds again tomorrow night after a hard days training.