As far as we’re concerned here at Lewes FC, the 2007/8 season is already underway. We’re training three times a week pre-season: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. The first session, on the 2nd of July, we did a twelve-minute run, and you could see who had been looking after themselves over the summer, and who hadn’t. I’m pleased with what I saw: most of the players are already looking sharp.

There will be four new signings next season, as well as the core of the team that I built last time round. The only one I can definitely announce is Kirk Watts, who’s coming back to the Pan after a year at Bromley. He wanted to play in the town where his other job was last year, but he wasn’t enjoying it, and the first person he contacted was me. I’m delighted: he’s a fast and skilful left winger who can be a match winner on his day. And he’s a crowd favourite, too.

I had a couple of weeks off in the summer - one of them in Spain - and now I’m itching to play, play, play. And we’ve got a great line-up of pre-season friendlies - the best we’ve ever had - to look forward to, with two Premiership teams and one Championship side coming to the Pan. First up is Fulham on the 18th; then it’s Southampton on the 25th, and West Ham on the 28th. Each team will be fielding a mixture of players who’ve played in the first team, and reserves. It will be a real test for my players, who can cross swords with genuinely top-drawer opponents.