Over two months have passed since FC Halifax Town’s play-off loss at Solihull Moors, and the Shaymen are set to kick off their new season preparations tomorrow.
The team will reconvene at Leeds Beckett University for a day of physical assessments under the supervision of physio Aaron Scholes. This will help gauge the squad’s current condition.
“It’s an extensive array of physical evaluations,” explained Town manager Chris Millington. “We will perform concussion protocols, sprinting tests, endurance tests, strength tests, and agility tests. These provide us with a comprehensive set of benchmarks as we approach the season. Players who fall short of our expectations will receive extra training and early starts to bring them up to standard. This process helps us identify areas where each player needs improvement.”
This day also offers a chance to bring the team together, set expectations, and help new players get acquainted with the squad. “In the past, we’ve spread this over two days, but Aaron’s proficiency now allows us to complete it all in one,” Millington noted.
After these assessments, Town will begin pre-season training at their base, leading up to their first friendly match against Hyde on Tuesday, July 9.
“We’ll dive right in,” Millington said. “The first week will include a mix of football drills and running. While the players might expect a lot of running, we’ll integrate it into football sessions to keep it dynamic. We need to build their fitness through a combination of distance running and dynamic exercises, primarily with the ball but also some without.”
The game against Hyde marks the beginning of eight pre-season friendlies for Town. “With many returning players, we can focus more on tactical work during matches,” Millington explained. “This year, we can schedule more games to conduct tactical training in a realistic match environment. In previous seasons, with many new players, we needed more time on the training ground, but now we can integrate new players during games.”
Millington also mentioned that the squad isn’t finalized yet and that trialists will participate in pre-season. “We’ll bring in a few trialists to evaluate their potential, but there will be fewer than in previous seasons due to our current needs,” he said.
