Workington Reds will be up and running ahead of the new season in mid-June as manager Danny Grainger looks to see through his unfinished business at Borough Park.
Grainger, “pleased to be back” in charge of the Reds, has already sat down with his assistant Steven Rudd and mapped-out training and pre-season friendlies.
Although mid-June might seem early it does give players the opportunity to fit in any holidays they might have booked and still have plenty of training time.
He said: “To be fair ‘Ruddy’ had got a lot done on working out friendlies and preparing that way and we just need to confirm dates and opponents over the new few days.
“I think it’s important to have your friendlies against the local sides like Penrith, Carlisle City and Whitehaven Amateurs because the club has always had a good relationship with them.
“Then you have to look at the bigger clubs as attractive opposition for your fans to enjoy in the build-up to the season. We plan to tick both those boxes.”
Grainger is already well-through talks with the playing squad who finished the season with Reds and expects to have had discussions with them all over the next few days.
“It would be nice to get all that sorted out quickly with the players who want to stay and I want to stay.
“We also have a list of other players we feel would freshen up the squad ahead of a new season,” he said.
The 35-year-old former Carlisle United captain joined Falkirk in June last year as assistant manager to Paul Sheerin, who was sacked in December. Grainger had a brief stay as caretaker before leaving with Martin Rennie then appointed.
Rennie left the club in April after Falkirk finished sixth and missed the play-offs
“I learnt a lot as a coach and as a person during my six months with Falkirk. Paul is a fantastic coach and within three weeks was working for Kilmarnock who are now in the Premier League. I still feel with the right backing we would have been successful at the club.
“The one thing I did learn from working away was how much I miss my family and certainly coming back to Reds ticks that particular box,” he said.
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