Preston North End's women's team began pre-season training on Monday ahead of the upcoming season.

The squad of 32 players were introduced to new head coach Andy Burgess and put through their paces in an intensive two hour training session by his newly recruited backroom staff of first team assistant head coach John Townsend, reserve team coaches Paul Gray and Mick Taylor, fitness coach Ashley Power, goalkeeping coach Ellis Hawksworth and development squad coach Duncan Fernhead.

Burgess also had his first opportunity to see his five new signings train with the rest of the squad. Tammy Burgess, who has played for clubs including Liverpool and Everton, striker Shelly James, Mel Sherwood and Christina Skull both signed from Sheffield Wednesday, and highly rated 16 year old Carly-Ann Walsh signed from Everton.

The management team will also cast their eye over five trialists who have been given the opportunity to prove their worth during pre-season training.

Former Rushden & Diamonds player Burgess was impressed with his team ahead of his first season with North End. He said: "It was good to get going properly, we split the squad into the first team and the reserves and the feedback I got was that everybody's attitude was spot on, everyone worked hard and we started as we mean to go on."

PNEWFC's travel to Kettering on Sunday for their first pre-season friendly, and Burgess is excited to take a closer look at his players and tactics: "It's just a case of going out there and getting a feel for playing again and being in match situations. We have a lot of players so I want to see how they gel and possibly look at formations and player positions.

"It will be a case of trial and error, the score does not really bother me but I would like to go down there and get a win, because winning breeds confidence."