Midfielder Lee Evans is delighted to be back out on the grass with his team-mates after a frustrating end to last season.
Evans, one of last summer’s 19 new signings, suffered a knee problem in the closing moments of the 3-0 home victory over Burton and missed the rest of the season as a result.
The Welshman admits it was frustrating and was pleased to be back in the fold when the squad returned for pre-season training on Monday.
"Brilliant, obviously on a personal note really nice to be back on the grass with everyone after a frustrating end to the season for me,” the 27-year-old told iFollow Ipswich.
"And then, as a collective, it’s great to see everyone. I think everyone’s happy to be back in putting in the hard work ready for this season.”
Evans was one of those to spend time at Playford Road over the summer along with Kyle Edwards, George Edmundson and Kayden Jackson, who also suffered injuries in the latter stages of the campaign.
"I’m feeling good, I’m feeling a lot stronger,” he added. "I’ve been in working, me, Kyle, George, there were a few of us who had niggles working in the summer, so that’s helped.
"I felt a bit rusty in the first couple of sessions, today [Tuesday] is only the second day, but I’ll get back into the swing of things nice and quick, hopefully.
"I think it was important for all of us. Mine and Kyle's were longer-ish term [injuries], four months around that mark. I think Fridge [Edmundson] similar when he’ll be back and Jacko was obviously flying [and is] back from his injury, he’s doing really well.
"It’s good to see and hopefully in a couple of weeks we’ll have a fully fit squad.”
Reflecting on the first couple of days of pre-season, he continued: "Tough, they don’t get any easier, but good though, to be fair. I quite enjoy that longer type of running and on the first day there was a tough running session. It was the ballwork which caught me out a little bit more, getting used to that again.
"But it’s really good, it’s just nice not to be stuck in that room behind us and to be out there with everyone.”