Defender and Captain, Matt Cripps, caught up with the Blues Media team after returning to Pre-season training ahead of the 2024/25 season.

"Yeah it's good" said Cripps on how he found coming back after a break just shy of two months. "It was the first session back, which is always a tough one, but it's good to be back, and also good to see the boys again.

"[It was] a lot of running to blow a few cobwebs away, a bit of ball-work and some core-work to finish off. It wasn't too bad, it was sort of a nice way to get started."

With the vast majority of the squad returning to training, Cripps was pleased with the attitudes shown at the weekend. "[The atmosphere] was good today. Obviously after the disappointment in the play-offs, I think everyone wants to go again and go one better this year.

"We've got a few of the new lads that have come in, which hopefully will make a difference, but yeah everyone has come back raring to go."

It's not uncommon for some footballers to dread the first couple of sessions of a hard preseason, so what is Matt's favourite drill to start with? "The ball-work probably... running is not my favourite!

"I think you've always got to set your targets as high as possible. I think the minimum with the squad that we've got is definitely to make the play-offs again, or go one better and win the league, that would be great.

"We'll never set out to say that's what we've got to do, but with the squad from last year, and the players we've got in this year, I think we have to be looking at the play-offs at least."

Interview conducted by Michaela Georgopoulos.

*Image courtesy of JJ Portraits UK