IT looks likely that next season's Nationwide Conference will kick-off on August 9, coinciding with the Football League start. Quite why, I am not sure, considering that the Football League have four more matches to fit in than the Conference. It means that we will have a very early start to our pre-season programme, possibly before the end of June.

We can now start planning our pre-season programme, particularly regarding our practice matches. Invitations have been received from a number of clubs in the leagues below us, asking us to play at their places, whilst we will be hoping that we can attract one or two big clubs to Edgar Street. More of the bigger clubs will spend some time abroad but we hope that one of the big West Midlands clubs will send a team to play us.

Next Wednesday, the players will be taking a series of fitness tests at Gloucester University in order to gauge their level of fitness now and be able to make comparisons with further tests in pre-season. We may not have the wealth of the big clubs but we endeavour to be just as professional. We will continue with the weight training programme through the close season, with players expected to report back in a decent state of fitness.

This becomes a busy time of year for me with so many players out of contract. In accordance with regulations we have to inform players by midnight on the final day of the season of our intentions. They then have a period of time to consider our proposals whilst being able to talk to other clubs before deciding their future.

With a match against Doncaster on Saturday, the players need to put aside their personal situation as far as contracts are concerned and focus on the task of taking three points and securing sixth place in the table.

The players have been given a couple of days off this week, having worked hard at Southport. I thought we were very poor against Leigh and it was just the thing that we didn't want to happen when the season's coming to an end. But I was pleased to see a positive reaction at Southport to the criticism that the players received after Saturday.