The Town squad returned to Playford Road for the start of pre-season training this morning.
The Blues have had a shorter than usual summer break with the 2024/25 Premier League season ending on Sunday 25th May and the new Championship campaign getting under way when Town visit newly promoted Birmingham City on Friday 8th August.
Among the players the club pictured arriving at Playford Road on social media was Chieo Ogbene, who missed most of last season after rupturing an achilles at Brentford at the end of October.
Speaking ahead of the final match in May, manager Kieran McKenna was hopeful that the Irish international and most of the other players with longer-term injuries would be fit for pre-season.
"Jaden [Philogene, MCL] yes, Aro [Muric, shoulder surgery] hopefully, Chieo will hopefully be involved in pre-season training. Wes [Burns, ACL] will be a bit of time after that.
"Most will be back in and around pre-season with Wes the one who is going to be a little bit further away from that.
"Harry Clarke had an operation on his plantaris and hopefully should be back and ready for pre-season.”
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Conor Townsend confirmed to TWTD last week that he expected to start be OK for the start of pre-season having been in and out of the club over the summer after missing the end of the 2024/25 with a hamstring injury.
Sammie Szmodics withdrew from the Republic of Ireland’s June internationals having aggravated the ankle on which he had surgery in March when he made his return as a sub against West Ham on the final day, but that appeared to be precautionary more than anything more significant.
A number of the players who were away on international duty in June have been given additional time off before they join up with their teammates.
Town will work at Playford Road before travelling to Austria for their training camp in the week prior to their first friendly against Blau-Weiß Linz at their Hofmann Personal Stadion on Saturday 19th July. A full list of pre-season friendlies can be found here.