View from the dugout

A very warm welcome to our visitors this evening, Crystal Palace FC.

It will be good for the lads to test themselves against quality opposition for our only pre-season friendly at home.

Tonight’s game will provide us with a benchmark for player’s fitness levels; especially as the Palace boys train full-time.

That said, our fitness is ahead of where I hoped it would be at this stage in pre-season.

Overall I am very pleased with the way preparations are going for 2014/15. It's great to get a full pre-season to try things out and prepare the lads for the next nine months.

Our performances in the first two friendlies has given us a lot of self-belief and I am particularly pleased with the way the squad is gelling together. We have a great bunch of lads who can’t wait for the new season’s starting gun.

Having said that, there is still a long way to go. It will be a long, hard season but if we continue progressing as well as we have been, then I think the team, management and most importantly our fans will be in for an exciting season.

And your support is vital as we seek to return to the Premiership at our first attempt.

I hope you enjoy the game tonight and that we finish the evening with a prize scalp.