SALISBURY City's players were back training last night in readiness for their Blue Square Premier campaign.

And although the fixtures have yet to be announced for the club's first adventure in the top flight of non-league football, player-coach Tommy Widdrington issued a stark warning to the 20-strong squad of first team and youth team players assembled: "The season has started."

Whites' players jogged from their Raymond McEnhill Stadium home in Old Sarum down to Hudsons Field where Widdrington, under the ever-watchful eye of manager Nick Holmes, put them through their paces, championing a series of lengthy runs, stretching exercises, short sprints, and more lengthy runs.

Widdrington's formula is tried and tested - the two pre-season programmes he has been responsible for since he joined the club from Port Vale have ended in City winning promotion.

"We must have been doing something right," quipped the charismatic Geordie, healthily-tanned following his early summer break.

Much has happened at the Ray Mac in the seven weeks since City's dramatic last day of the season play-off final win against Braintree Town.

The club now has six professional players - four from the team which secured promotion from the Conference South - Ryan Clarke, Mike Fowler, Robbie Matthews and Matt Tubbs - plus new signings Liam Feeney from Hayes, and James Bittner from Woking.

The sextet all begin their new full-time jobs with City next week, though it shouldn't be long before they are joined by a few more.

Widdrington told the club's website it was good to be back among the players.

"I'm delighted we've started again. Our last two great seasons have started at a similar time to this so why change something that isn't broken?

Widdrington explained his philosophy behind the blowing off the cobwebs' session.

"Everything we've done tonight has been in a straight line, we're running at half pace - I know that's not going to injure them. We'll give them two days off now and have them back in on Monday."

Widdrington, who stepped out of the Football League two-and-a-half seasons ago to work alongside Holmes and assistant manager Barry Blankley, has made no secret of his desire to be involved in training on a daily basis.

He's delighted that the Whites have taken their first steps to becoming a full-time outfit this summer and is raring to go.

"It's standard procedure now.

"I'm getting back into what I used to be doing and that's brilliant. It's what I want to do."

While Holmes, Blankley and the backroom team of Ian Chopper' Harris, John Robson, Kevin Bushby, Conrad Parrott and Andy Cook observe proceedings from a distance, the booming voice of Widdrington dominates the session.

"I've had a chat with them this evening. The lads who know me and know how I work know exactly what's coming - obviously not the exact sessions - but they know the type of training I'm known for in pre-season.

"The lads that are new to me I've told them I'll never ask them to do anything that I can't do now. I'm 35. If they're 20 or 22 or whatever I'll expect them to do that and a little bit better!

"Basically I'm not going to ask them to do anything that they haven't done before, albeit maybe in a different guise. But it always takes a while for new people to get used to my voice, my ways, or my humour if you like - but that's what pre-season's all about."

Despite the week's incessant rain, City's players were put through their paces in warm evening sunshine.

And with the big kick off now just a few weeks away, the heat will be turned up further as Widdrington and Co ensure the Whites hit the ground running on their Blue Square Premier debut.

"Our two promotion campaigns started at the end of June. They didn't start in the middle of August," added Widdrington.

"It's the same this season. The start to our campaign in the Blue Square Premier is over. The start's gone! We'll never be promoted to the Blue Square Premier for the first time ever again. We're among the elite of the non-league scene now. We're up there and we intend to stay there.

"Behind the scenes, Barry, myself, Nick, Chopper and those on the medical side have not stopped since that Sunday night in May We enjoyed it for a couple of days, but we've been working for a couple of weeks now and the lads have joined us again and it's good to have them back."

City's first pre-season friendly is away at Weston-super-Mare on Saturday, July 14.

Blue Square Premier fixtures are set to be announced on Tuesday.

9:27am Monday 30th July 2007

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