The Youth Team kick off their pre-season friendly schedule on Wednesday, with a home match against Rotherham United.
It is the first of five pre-season fixtures before the season gets underway on Saturday 5th August.
As ever with pre-season, the first sessions were primarily focused on fitness, but with the fixtures set to begin attentions have turned to the football.
"The last few days has been focusing on what we'll be doing in the game," said Youth Team Manager Chris Brown. "It's more teaching them about the traits of the club, and what we're after from them. So we're looking to see how the lads are doing with their own individual performances, and also how they're going to do as a team in terms of formations and tactics. But it is more about their traits, and what they do on and off the ball."
The pre-season fixtures will provide different tests for the players, with fixtures against Rotherham and Preston North End, before they face Droylsden's first team. Then it is a long trip to Hartlepool United, after which they round off pre-season against Oldham Athletic.
"Hartlepool will be a big journey for them, but it gets them used to having to get up early to travel on the minibus. Then it's a derby around the corner for the last day of pre-season against Oldham. It's a good opportunity for the lads to play and get some minutes under their belt. Definitely some of the younger boys [under 16s] will be playing as well. So I'm really looking forward to it and seeing how they get on."
The game against Rotherham United will be held at Hopwood Hall College on 12th July, kick-off 11:30am.
For the Youth Team's full pre-season friendly schedule, click HERE.