There will be no hiding place as Darren Patterson puts his team through pre-season. United's players have been back for three days and working hard at Milton and the Park Club to prepare for the season ahead, and although everything is looking good so far there are certain standards that the United manager is looking for.

He told Yellow World:

"All the sessions have been excellent so far. It's been pretty tough what we've put the players through but they are getting used to it. It's not like the bad old days of running up and down hills until you got injured! This is all proper, monitored stuff and by the end of the week I'll know who has stuck to their programme over the summer.

"If everybody has done it then great. If anybody hasn't then we are not waiting for them. They will be down the pecking order and we won't be feeling sorry for anybody. There is no need for me to be paying nutritionists and conditioning coaches to set up a programme two months ago if they come back and haven't done it. That will tell me about attitude as well, although so far they have looked in very good condition."

Chris Willmott's return has been the focus of a lot of attention but it's the return of Luke Bennett that has impressed Darren. Luke, 19, has missed 18 months of football after two serious knee injuries but is back training and his commitment and desire to play for his local club has certainly caught the manager's eye:

"I don't want to single people out but I have never known anyone have the mental toughness that that boy has, to come back twice. Once is hard, but to come back, train for two weeks and then have to start all over again is unbelievable. Having to work his socks off for a year and a half is a great effort and we'll see how he gets on."