Shrewsbury boss Paul Simpson insists the days of players returning to pre-season to embark on a series of cross-country runs are over.Simpson is keen to do a host of ball work when his squad, who are being tipped by many to be a real force in League Two this season, return to training on Thursday.

And a summer training programme issued to all of the players will ensure they are in the best possible shape when they get together for the first time at the Sundorne Castle training ground.

"I'm really pleased with the way all the preparations have gone, all the training is in place," Simpson told the club's official website. "Myself, John (McMahan) and Stuart (Delaney) have been sitting down over the past few weeks to make sure everything is definite about what we want to do.

"It will be hard work for the players but there will also be a lot of football involved because when they've got a ball at their feet the running is disguised and they don't realise how hard they are working.

"The work we will be doing will be on the pitches as they need to have a good level of fitness, the programmes they were given on June 9 involved longer runs and cardio-vascular work."

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