With the Magpies squad back in training for the last week midfielder Gavin Strachan has taken time out from the busy pre-season schedule to write his latest column for nottscountyfc.co.uk.

Hi everyone,

We're back to work again and it has certainly been an intense start.

We have been put through our paces by our new Fitness Coach Marcus Svensson and I am sure that I speak for the rest of the lads when I say we have been very impressed by his methods.

As I have said in my previous column the days of players coming back to training overweight and unfit have well and truly gone and our squad of players are no exception. All the players have reported back in excellent shape and I can honestly say this group of players as a whole is one of the fittest I have worked with and hopefully it will stand us in good stead for the long season ahead.

New seasons bring new players and we have had our own additions to the squad who have all settled in really well in their first week at the club.

Matt Hamshaw is a player who I have worked with a couple of times before and he is a very shrewd signing by the Gaffer. He is a very talented footballer who can create and score goals. The other boys Adam Nowland and Jamie Forrester have been equally impressive and again first impressions are that they will prove to be good signings for the club.

I am sure some of you will have watched our very own Tommy Johnson represent one of his former clubs Celtic at the Scottish masters at the weekend. He was in excellent form ending up as joint top scorer with Rangers Gordon Durie so from us all well done Tommy.

See you all soon for the Open Day and pre-season friendly games when we return from Austria.

Gav