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Gaffer Looks Ahead To Fixture Release Day

22 June 2016

Community

Gaffer Looks Ahead To Fixture Release Day

22 June 2016

Manager Simon Grayson is looking forward to the release of the 2016/17 fixtures ahead of an exciting campaign for the Lilywhites.

North End will begin their second season in the Championship after securing a top half finish last year, and the gaffer is hoping to build on that this campaign.

"Everybody will have their own favourite fixtures that they are all looking for and hopefully be can replicate some of the results and performances we had both home and away last year.

Grayson will come up against another former club of his this season following Aston Villa's relegation from the Premier League, and the PNE boss is looking forward to the challenge of the facing the three relegated sides.

Speaking of Villa, he continued: "It's a big football club, I really enjoyed my time there and I'm sure the suppporters will enjoy going to Villa Park, and going to St James' Park too. Not so much to Carrow road given the distance but they are three big teams that have come down and that's going to make it even more competitive.

"Overall there's some great fixtures for everybody to be involved in for supporters, players and staff."

The squad will report for the start of pre-season later this week, and the gaffer can't wait to get back to work with the players ahead of a tough season.

"It will be a pre-season that staff will probably look forward to more than the players, in terms of it's always hard. There's no way of dressing it up, there's going to be some double sessions, running, football work but the players will have looked after themselves and be a lot fitter than players have been in the past.

"We look forward to that, we've got some good games lined up and we are away for five or six days just to get away and do something different."

Speaking of the challenge of the new season, Grayson continued: "We are looking forward to it because it's going to be a real tough campaign with the teams that have come down and the teams coming up and the teams that underachieved last year.

"So we can't rest on our laurels of what we did last year, we've got to work harder as staff, as a group of players and make sure that we try and keep improving.

"It's going to be a tough ask but it's one we're looking forward to as with many a challenge we've had at this football club."

To hear more from the manager you can watch the full interview online now, just head to PNE PlayerHD now by clicking on the video below.

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