Wycombe Wanderers - News item from Chairboys on the Net

BACK TO TRAINING FOR SQUAD
(Thursday 5th July 2001)

Players back to training - picture Chairboys on the Net

The squad have returned for pre-season training and like last season the players won't kick a ball for the first ten days with the emphasis placed on Lawrie Sanchez's strict fitness regime.

The players have been fat-tested and weighed in. Anyone over the limit was threatened with a Ł50 and Ł100 if they were guilty last season but all the squad passed. A newly employed chiropodist will also keep the player's feet in prime condition as Sanchez looks to gain any conceivable edge over the opposition.

New signing Darren Currie wasn't able to join his new team-mates for training after his transfer from Barnet hit a 'small hitch' due a financial problem between his agent and his former club. The parties hoped to have sorted out the glitch by the weekend.

There were new faces in the training sessions, however. Former Wanderers loan player Steve Jones and ex-Millwall, Wolves and Reading midfielder Michael Gilkes have both been given a chance to impress by Manager Lawrie Sanchez. 35 year old Gilkes was released by Millwall at the end of last season. Sanchez told the Bucks Free Press "I'm doing this as a favour more than anything else. At this moment in time they're not in my plans" Also joining Wycombe for training is Guy Whittingham. The former Pompey player was shown the door by Wycombe in May but he's been allowed to train with his former team-mates to help him keep fit while he looks for another club. Whittingham is due to have talks with Division Three Exeter City.

Stewart Castledine has spent the summer being put through his paces by friend and former Olympic hero Daley Thompson. However, Thompson won't be joining The Wanderers squad during pre-season. He's been signed up by Joe Kinnear to become Luton Town's fitness coach for the coming campaign.

Sean Devine, Andy Baird and Jermaine McSporran were all absent from the main training session but McSporran could return during the second week of training. The return date of Devine is still being suggested as October while Baird will have to wait until the end of the year. All three injury victims are being eased back in with a specialised rehabilitation programme. Other injury victims Paul Emblen and Mark Rogers are both back in light training.

First game of the pre-season friendlies for Wycombe is on Saturday 21st July when Spurs are the visitors to Adams Park - kick-off 3pm. Pre-season details

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