Town physio Matt Byard says this week's trip to Loughborough University will be very useful to the Blues in their bid to get back into the Premier League during 2008/09. The five-day visit is the club's second, the squad having spent time there ahead of last season.

Byard told the club site: "It's the second time we have been to Loughborough and it's certainly a worthwhile stay.

"Their facilities are first class and it's been a base for the England cricket and rugby union teams, so that gives an indication of how highly respected the university is.

"There will be a cross section of activities through the week, with plenty of football and general fitness work as well as other sports, like volleyball, to break things up.

"The players will also be working under the expert eye of Professor Clyde Williams and his team at Loughborough. We will be looking right across the board of sports science and discussing with them how we can develop analysis of all aspects of fitness and use it to our advantage.

"It's about us working with the very best people we can to get as much knowledge that we can."

Town will take on the English Universities team in a friendly at Loughborough on Friday.

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