Neil Baker on the first day of pre-season training

Neil Baker says it is always a special day in the footballing calendar when the players return for the first day of pre-season training. Over the course of the next couple of days, the Crewe players will be tested before embarking on some ball work ahead of this weekend’s practice match with Glasgow Celtic.

Baker told the club’s official web-site: “It is always nice to get players back in as a group. It is good to see the old faces and have some new ones in to freshen it up as well. We have one or two in and are speaking to others.

“The players have looked after themselves and I think all of them have attended the number of sessions they were told to. Rob (Sharp) and Andy (Franks) are in charge of that and they haven’t said otherwise. They are used to coming in and training in the summer.

“We will be going away with them to Cornwall next week which will allow us to integrate the new players and it will be a getting to know, boding session for them. We always think that is important. They will be working hard and we have a game on the Friday night as well.”