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Pre-season has just started and the first friendly been and gone. Was nice to get through the match with no apparent injuries (not so for the Marines unfortunately).

Yes some of the players looked off the pace but it was the first match and after a week at Lympstone that I'm sure took it out of the players.

Particularly impressed with O'Kane and Mansell who was again full of running, powered the engine room and could of had 3 goals - is becoming our most potent danger in front of goal.

Rene Howe and Nicho have lost a lot of weight and appear very trimmed and fit which can only be a benefit for the coming season (except for reserve left back hoping Nicho being a year older would get slower and give them a game). Both were hungry for the ball and Nicho let fly with a screamer that swerved all over the place that the big Marine goalie did well to parry around the post.

The season is getting close!

One final point, a stronger 'team' than last season, just need that central defender.

Nicho is an interesting player. I think most of us would agree that since he has been with us he has sort of "re-born" himself every couple of years. This was most noticable in the first season back in the football league where he as loosing form and worked his socks off to ensure he was playing first team football.

There cannot be many football league players who drop out of the football league as Nicho did with Forest Green and then get themselves back into it.

Credit where credit is due here, no doubt (like all players at the club I hope) he is looking over his shoulder and his pro-active approach is impressive.

Hargreaves was another player that seemed to never really lose his fitness with age!! Embarrassed many a youngster over the years with his stamina!!

Embarrasses me. I'm only a supporter, I watch all matches sitting down, and I'm not half as fit as I was last season... =Z

Since Nicho has slimmed down he is also a lot faster!