Russell Hoult is more determined than ever to get back into pre-season training.

After missing the last two pre-seasons due to injury the goalkeeper is determined to make up for lost time.

He missed pre-season last year with a stress fracture in his ankle as well as the second half of last season with a shoulder problem.

His prolonged absence from first-team football has him chomping at the bit to return and he believes getting a full pre-season under his belt is vital so he can hit the ground running and fight it out with Kevin Pilkington for the right to be County's number one next term.

"I missed the previous pre-season at Stoke because I cracked my ribs and the pre-season just gone I suffered the stress fracture in my ankle," he said.

"Even though I was working hard in the gym all the time and doing all my rehab work, but I didn't feel that match-fit because of the pre-season I missed.

"I wasn't comfortable with myself if I'm being honest now and I didn't keep as many clean sheets as I would have liked."

And he insists he has learnt to look after himself better in the last year.

"I was just about getting there last year when the second injury struck, so I'm due a bit of luck," he added.

"I was so eager to get back at times I probably rushed a little too much, but I've learnt from that and know I have to look after myself."