With just over a month to go until the start of the new season, things are hotting up here at Exeter City Football Club. The boys are back to training, starting off with what looked like some fairly intensive fitness testing and sessions starting at 6am.

If you were at Park Run down by the Quay in Exeter, you might have seen some new faces. Gary (Caldwell), the rest of the management team and the first team squad all took part, in what Gary called a ‘recovery run’ after the intense first week back – I’m not sure if that’s his way of saying don’t judge my time…

And it didn’t stop there, we had first team and women’s team players along to the Party at the Park, which was also the place to be for the new shirt reveal. The event was held to raise funds for MND in aid of the TeamEvo appeal.

It’s a cause close to the hearts of us all, after Exeter City Community Trust inclusion coach Pete Eveleigh was diagnosed with the disease last year, aged just 30. Thanks to Clive Harrison, who, as usual, does an amazing job of organising the event, and to everyone who came along and contributed to the fundraising.

We’ve now got a month of pre-season games, opening with a friendly away to Tiverton Town on July 7. It’s followed by matches across the region, from Mousehole to Bath, ending with Coventry City at home on July 29, which promises to be a good way to get the new season’s campaign underway.

The morning of the Coventry game will also see the opening of the new facility at the Cliff Hill Training Ground. What an achievement that is, and we’re already reaping the benefits, from improved nutrition, thanks to the modern kitchen, to the fully kitted out gym.

Time is ticking down to our first league game of the new season, and with the release of the fixtures, we have an idea how our season will pan out. Out first game is away at Wycombe Wanders on August 5, which is then followed by Blackpool at home on August 12. We’ll see Wycombe again at St James Park on Boxing Day, New Year’s Day sees us heading to Reading and our final match of the season is against Oxford United at St James Park.

As ever, there are the usual transfer windows comings and goings. It’s still early days, but so far, we’ve welcomed left-back Vincent Harper and attacker Jack Aitchison (another Scot to join what is rapidly becoming McExeter City).

And in the same way there are comings, there are goings! Archie Collins has left us for Peterborough. One of our own, and with the club since he was eight years-old, he achieved an incredible 220 appearances and 14 goals. It’s been a privilege to watch him grow and develop over the last 15 years and we wish him, and Jack Sparkes, another one if our own who is heading to Pompey, all the best.

Our Academy continues its brilliant work bringing through the next generation of Exeter City players. The under nine and 10-year-olds recently returned from a trip to Austria, playing against some of Europe’s biggest clubs, the under 12-15s went Dutch with a trip to Rotterdam, bringing home a couple of cups, and the under 10s also fitted in an away day to Chelsea. And well done to Academy player Alfie Cunningham who finished this season by being selected for Wales under 17s squad.

So come and join us at St James Park, you’ll get 90 minutes of quality entertainment in a brilliant atmosphere at our supporter-owned club. And if you haven’t already joined, sign up to become a member of the Supporters’ Trust, it’s a steal from just £2 a month and means you’re helping support a sustainable future for our club.

And don’t forget, the future’s bright, the future’s red and white!

By Julian Tagg