CONCEDING a goal inside the first half a minute is not the ideal way to start life at a new club – especially for a defender.

Neill Byrne was in for a rude awakening in City’s pre-season opener at Chorley last week.

But the big Irishman enjoyed his first 45 minutes in claret and amber, the first of those withstanding.

“It’s always nice to have the build-up to a match day and get some minutes under the belt,” said the centre half. “From that side, it was a good outing.

“You obviously don’t want to be conceding goals, especially one in the first 30 seconds.

“That’s not something we want to happen again. The aim is to keep clean sheets but you’ll slowly start to see that improvement throughout pre-season.

“The most important thing is that we get our fitness levels up and the lads come out untouched.”

Professional pride aside, scorelines are immaterial at this early stage as everything builds towards the big kick-off at Stadium MK on August 10.

The former Stockport promotion-winner, who did clear one off the line at Victory Park, has seen enough of the necessary evil that is pre-season to know nothing counts until that point.

“We’ve had double sessions, which you’re not normally used to before games, but it’s about getting that work in before the season.

“Everyone in the dressing room wants to win everything they do, whether it’s a small-sided game in training or anything.

“We don’t want to lose any games but it’s all about preparing for when the big ones come along and putting into play what the gaffer is telling us to do.

“We’re not going to get too caught up in the first couple of games of pre-season.

“I’ve been in pre-seasons before where we’ve won every game then lost the first one. I’ve been in pre-seasons when we’ve lost each one and then gone on a great run at the start.

“The most important thing is building up fitness levels, coming out injury-free and we build up small relationships with each other.”

Graham Alexander’s assertion that “70 per cent” of the physical endurance work is done in the first fortnight back has been borne out by the timetable.

Double sessions have filled the schedule around the friendlies and yesterday’s game behind closed doors at the training ground.

Neill Byrne expects to do plenty of running in pre-seasonNeill Byrne expects to do plenty of running in pre-season (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“It’s been tough but that’s what pre-season is all about,” added Byrne.

“We’ve had some good sessions, double sessions, good days, long days but we expected that. Everyone has worked hard and it’s been good to integrate and get to know the lads.

“We’ve all dragged each other through it. Getting back out there and doing double sessions is never easy but it’s a good group of lads.

“We’re all here to put in the hard work and make sure we’re ready for the start of the season.

“You’ve got to embrace it. There’s no point in coming into pre-season thinking it’s going to be a doddle.

“You know it’s hard work but you won’t hear any of the lads complaining because we all know you’ve got to put that in.

“We’ve had long enough in the off season to enjoy ourselves. Now it’s about getting your head down, working hard together and dragging each other through every day and every tough run that we have.

“We’ll be strong and fit as a group and raring to go.”

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