Imps back in training

If ever there's a point where you can say that the new season is now officially being prepared for, it's the day the players return to training after their holidays, earned or otherwise. Several new players will meet their new team-mates for the first time as the Imps prepare for what will hopefully not be a relegation battle

Joe Anyon, Mustapha Carayol, Josh O'Keefe, Drewe Broughton and Gavin McCallum will enjoy their first training session as permanent members of the squad today, although no-one seems to know whether Brian Gilmour and Steven Lennon will also be part of the training sessions. Both of them have yet to sign their contracts and their Lincoln futures appear up in limbo.

The training session will be missing several familiar faces though as Rob Burch, Paul Connor, Richard Butcher, Lenell John-Lewis, Sam Clucas, James Reid and every loanee left the club at the end of last season.

Chris Sutton has 12 days to prepare his Imps squad before the first friendly, an away game at one of last year's FA Cup shockmakers, Staines. City currently only have five friendlies and one cup game (potentially turning into two) planned for pre-season so far, an interestingly low amount of games given that we usually have around 10-15 friendlies.

It is widely believed that Sutton will focus on getting the players' fitness up after several comments he has made about the general lack of fitness amongst the squad.