DORCHESTER Town manager Craig Laird is looking forward to working with his newly-built squad when pre-season training commences for the Magpies tomorrow evening.

Laird has either retained or signed 14 players for the Avenue Stadium outfit during the summer and is eager to begin preparations for the new campaign, which begins in mid-August.

Magpies’ boss Laird told Echosport that the first session will be a key indicator as to where his players are following a two-month break.

He said: “We’ve got some new players to look at which is always nice. We get to see their strengths and weaknesses and get our input into them which is important.

“Hopefully they are all mentally fresh, the brain needs rest too. It’s a tough challenge, especially where the club was last year.

“We don’t want to be there again and we want to make sure that we’re in a better place, so having that rest is important for everyone.”

With several clubs choosing to return in the last week of June, Laird admits that still leaves a short timeframe to work with his charges before the first game.

“It’s important to measure players, where they are physically. It’s a new squad and we have put a lot of work in. We need to get a lot from the players.

“It’s a lot to get into that period of time. We meet a few times a week but it’s actually not a lot of time to get information into the players,” he said.

Laird is also aiming to prepare his squad to peak at the optimal stage of the season, rather than pushing them too hard too soon.

He said: “We want to be peaking at the right time and improve through the season, especially through Christmas. We have a long season, there’s a lot to try and balance and keep the players fresh, not too keyed up.”

Several triallists will be present at the first training session and Laird is keen to see them in action.

“Hopefully they mix in with the rest of the players so they can relax, do their best and can see what they’re about.

“They are good players and need to improve their fitness slightly but it’s a different level. It will be tough because they’re playing against better players. We have got to make sure they’re prepared for that as well.

“It’s great to have them down and throw their hat in the ring. That shows great bravery,” he said.

Boss Laird expects the opening session to be fitness-based for his men.

“It will be a bit of fitness with a ball, not pushing them too hard and getting niggling injuries.

“It’s important that we build them up. We can’t go straight in gung-ho.

“We’re not full-time so it’s that balance between doing enough and not too much,” he said.

Laird also revealed that both players and staff are itching to begin training.

“They must be fed up with shopping with the missus! It’s time to get training and start running around. You miss it after a

while.

“It’s a funny period between finishing and starting a season. Players like to know what they’re doing,” he added.

n Dorchester have announced a friendly away to Melksham Town on Friday, July 14 (7.45pm).