Reece Connolly is hoping that his close season preparation will stand him in good stead when the players return to training in a week's time, as he aims to earn himself a regular place in Dean Holdsworth’s starting line-up ahead of the new League Two campaign.
Shots Trust: Close season is generally a boring time for football supporters where they spend the days counting down to the first pre-season friendly – what is it like for the players?
Reece Connolly: ”I’m not sure about the others, but for me, I really can't wait to get back to kicking a ball!
”It's good to be able to just relax for the first few weeks of the summer, but boredom really does start to kick in after that for me and I just want to get back to playing.”
ST: What have you been up to since the end of the season then?
RC: "I haven’t been away this year and chose not to so as I could focus more on my body fat and not getting overweight and things.
”I’ve been training one day on, one day off for the last three or four weeks and following the training programme that we were given by the gaffer [Dean Holdsworth] so as I’m as prepared as I can be when we return for team training at the end of June.”
ST: Do you keep in touch with any of the other players during the break?
RC: “I keep in touch mainly with the younger players like Doug [Bergqvist], [Adam] Mekki and Jordan [Clement].
”We’ve met up a lot over the break as we're all friends and live close. Mekki has been away on holiday as has Doug, but both are still fit from following their exercise programmes on holiday while Jordan has done what I have and stayed in England.”
ST: Dean Holdsworth has said that you’re very much a part of the club's future. After a successful spell with Dorchester last season, what are your hopes for the 2011-12 campaign?
RC: ”I’m hoping that I can start to become a big part of the first team this season and not have to go out on loan as I want to be playing for Aldershot.”
ST: League Two has got some very strong teams in it this coming season, but Dean Holdsworth looks like he is building the kind of young exciting team that Gary Waddock favoured – how do you see The Shots doing this season?
RC: ”I think well have a very good team this year and we will do well.
”There’s no doubt we can play good football and the lads were enjoying playing towards the end of last season which is the main thing, so I’m sure we’ll carry that on into this season.”
ST: Three big clubs were relegated at the end of last season - Swindon, Bristol Rovers and Plymouth, how do you think they will cope in League Two?
RC: “I really don’t know to be honest! They might think its an easy league and lose week in week out, although Swindon know what this league about so they might do well, but there are always teams who do better than they expect and those who do worse, so you can never really tell until the season get underway.”
ST: Is that the same for the promoted sides then? Crawley have been splashing out and AFC Wimbledon are also a tough prospect, how do you rate their chances?
RC: ”I think that both clubs have the potential to do well, they have some good players who work hard and both are very good teams and deserved their promotions.”
ST: The fixtures are released now – are there any you’re looking forward to?
RC: ”Yes, all of them! Like I said, I just want to be back and hopefully playing in them as I’ve missed not playing games.
ST: Dean Holdsworth has signed Aaron Brown, Michael Rankine and James Collins so far – what do you know of them and how do you see them fitting in to the team?
RC: ”I know Aaron as he has been here before. He’s a good player and fitted in well last time so I think he will be a good addition to the defence.
”I don’t know anything about the other two, but hopefully they’ll fit in well and strengthen the side so as we’ll have a successful season.”
ST: Finally, the mood on the pitch was visibly lifted when Dean Holdsworth and Matt Bishop took over their roles last season – how do you see the club progressing this season when they get the opportunity to have a full season in charge?
RC: ”Yeah, it certainly had a massive affect on the team when they came in and people started to enjoy playing football once again.
”I think if we continue to do as they want, we’ll be a very hard team to play against and will be in the top seven without a doubt.”