"The first week has been good; the lads have come back sharp and strong.  There's really not much to do and it's mostly been football from the start.  We've done some running but mostly football.  The only grumble has been the weather and it was freezing today.  I suppose if you're working hard, its fine but for the coaches stood around watching its cold.  I could run with them, but those days are long over, but overall it's been a good week."

"We've got plenty of trialists with us this week and we've seen bits of what we are looking for.  They are all pretty technical.  We have full backs and wide players because we think that's where we need them most but its hard to tell until you get into the first game but some will take part in the Everton game on Friday and some on Monday at Radcliffe, so we will have a better idea then."

"We've had four days worth of training before the first game, and really it's another training session.  My first thought on this game was no, but then we had a think about it and decided yes.  I am looking forward to it, it's not often that we have a premiership team here and with a very strong side as well, so we will see what happens."

"We haven't done any tactics or a game plan for this game, its only four days into pre-season.  It's just a case of get through it and David Moyes will be thinking the same as me - that there are no injuries and everyone comes through it ok.  They fly in from Scotland on Friday and come straight here.  Usually at this stage of pre-season, everyone is at the same stage.  The first game is always the game that you want to ease everyone in. "

"We are worried about getting through the game without injuries because if I'm honest about it, I have in my mind a fair idea of who is going to start against Bournemouth in a month's time so we will take it from there."

"Andy Morrell has a double hernia operation over the summer, but he's ok.  He will start work with us next week.  He did struggle last year with his groins ands hips.  We did think it would settle down over the summer, but he went to see a specialist and it didn't, so he had to have the operation.  A hernia operation used to mean six months out, but these days its four weeks.  He's been running today and he will join us next week."

"Cameron Belford has signed his contract whilst two have left with Jack Dorney and Ricky Anane both leaving.  It was a difficult decision to make.  Obviously I want young players, but I want young players to be pushing the first team and they weren't really doing that.  Jack Dorney played in my first game.  But after that the team got better.  It has made it difficult because we are successful, it does make it more difficult for the younger players.  The things I expect from the first team, I also expect from the younger players.  There are standards that they have to reach by pushing the first team players and I thought they found it difficult last year.  I couldn't really see them playing this year so they might as well go and play somewhere else."

"Playing on a Friday night and then a Monday night is ok, because I have thirty players available.  We will play the majority or what is perceived as the first team on Friday and then mix it up for Monday.  There is a difference in quality of opposition between the two games; usually you ease back into it with a non league game.  Traditionally we play Radcliffe in the first game, but there's not a lot we can do about this game with Everton.  They came along and it was too good to turn down."

"I finished the interview for the website last week and went to meet and a winger.  It was Simon Johnson, a winger from Hereford and he's here with us on trial.   He will play part of the game tomorrow.  It's just to have a look at him and to see where we are.  We've got eight or nine trialists in at the moment but we will probably lose some of them next week."

"Elliott Bennett will be at the game on Friday night, but he won't be joining us.  He's going somewhere else.  That's how it is, they come here, do well and then go somewhere else.  If we had gone up last season, then I would probably have had the same team in a division above.  Its evolution and the team has to move on."

"I saw the story in the paper this morning about Nicky Adams.  As far as I know he's going on tour with Leicester to Slovenia but I have to say that I wasn't too happy with the article, it set him up as a crowd favourite yet he took some stick when he was here.  When he was here with me, he was excellent and his record speaks for itself.  We took something like £225,000 for him.  It's not the exact figure but it's around there.  Nicky did some good things for this football club.  His career should have kicked on but it hasn't.  If a player like Nicky became available then we would be interested."

"In the article it said that we had offered a substantial financial package.  I wish we had a substantial financial package.  Nothing has been done.  I suppose Nicky would be happy to come, but we are a different team to when he was here.  He speaks to the lads and he does keep in touch with them."