AFC Telford United are up and running at Lilleshall National Sports Centre for 2020/21
AFC Telford United kicked off their preparations for the 2020/21 yesterday as they returned to training at Lilleshall National Sports Centre.
Boss Gavin Cowan’s squad checked in for their first training session post-Covid-19, while adhering to the social distancing measures that have been put in place.
The club’s six new signings – Lee Vaughan, Jack Byrne, Courtney Meppen-Walter, Russ Griffiths, Ash Rawlins and Jason Oswell – joined existing contracted players and trialists at the Bucks’ training HQ.
Also present were a number of trialists, with Cowan admitting the club are open to individuals catching the eye. Forward Jack Storer, who signed for the club shortly before lockdown and made just one appearance, will training in the view to penning a deal.
Cowan expressed his gratitude to club staff for putting in the hours to ensure a return to training, which will take place Saturdays and Wednesdays, was feasible.
The boss said: “We’re back at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, our training ground. Not surprisingly the players are itching (to train). We’ve had to adhere to lots of risk assessments and procedures.
“Credit to Luke (Shelley, football operations manager) and everyone at the club for the hard work and to Lilleshall for going above and beyond to facilitate us. We’ve left no stone unturned, but we’ve managed to get back on the grass.
“We are starting off with Saturday and Wednesday sessions. We don’t want to blow a gasket but we want to touch base and ease ourselves in.
“The players have got their own programmes to stick to and we will do Saturday and Wednesday until we get next season confirmed, then we will resume normal (Tuesday and Thursday) training."
Creative attacker Storer, 22, can play either as a ‘number 10’ or out wide.
Cowan is a big fan of the former Birmingham City youngster, who has played League Two and Championship football with Stevenage and Blues respectively.
He also had loans at Yeovil, Solihull Moors and Gloucester City before signing a permanent deal with Scottish outfit Partick Thistle in 2018.
The Bucks boss is keen to get a deal for Storer, who Birmingham paid a reported five-figure fee to sign back from Stevenage in 2016, over the line.
