Woodbridge Town are back in training early as Scales targets a flying start

Scales led Town to a fourth-placed finish in Thurlow Nunn Division One last season, the Woodpeckers finishing behind the three promoted teams, Stowmarket Town, Coggeshall and Haverhill Borough.

This season, Scales hopes to go one better with the Notcutts Park-based team and said: “As a management team we were pretty ecstatic to finish fourth last season, behind two clubs who had spending power and another that had the advantage of knowing how to play on their 4G pitch which was enclosed, giving no respite.

“We have a great talented group of players and the fitter we are the quicker we will be on the ground and in certain situations, although we don’t want to see them get injured or tired either.

“The spirit and never-say-die attitude at the club is fantastic, we had a great camaraderie last season and I did not want to wait to get the players back during the summer.

“I would rather have them back in the group now than wait a couple of months and have to take time getting them going again.

“There have been a few moans and groans as we have been doing double sessions for three weeks, but the lads have enjoyed it.

“If they were not training with us on Tuesdays and Thursdays, they would only be down the gym with their mates, so they might as well come and be at the club where we can build that team spirit up.

“We want to change the mentality, we want to have a winning mentality.”

All of last season’s squad have committed to the club for the new season, including 45-goal Mark Ray and fellow forwards Matt Mackenzie and Aaron Churchyard.

Scales confirmed he also keen to add to his squad but nothing had been confirmed yet.

“At the moment we are still in talks with a couple of players,” the Woodpeckers’ manager explained.

“They have come along to training and given me their word, but there are other clubs out there so I will keep their identities up my sleeve for now.”