David Artell says he and his backroom staff are ‘like kids in a sweet shop’ as they wait for the start of the new season. The EFL fixtures are released at 9am tomorrow and Artell says he wishes the first game was this weekend, never mind in early August!

David told the club’s official website: “It is exciting and I am like any other fan when the fixtures are released. I look at the first game, the last game, Christmas, when we play the Vale, who we have got away on a Tuesday in February? I am no different to the supporters.

“We will prepare and plan the best we can. I wish it was the first game on Saturday. Me and the staff were only on about it the other day. We want it start again and get back into it. We are like kids in a sweet shop waiting for the season to start.

“We all just want to get going and get those games under our belts. I’m sure, the fans, the players, the media, whoever loves the game, cannot wait for it to start all over again.”