Gills defender delivers exclusive interview
Gills defender Andy Frampton says he is looking forward to a new league season `more than ever` having now returned for pre-season training.
The 32-year old centre back is excited by the prospect of working with new manager Martin Allen, and says it will make each player determined to prove their worth for first team consideration.
Speaking exclusively to the club's official website he said:
"It always freshens things up and it's great to have the appointment now because as players we know where we stand.
"It's great to be back in the club training again, it's what we live for and what we look forward to.
"I feel last year we let ourselves down a little bit and we are desperate now as a group to get going, get back on the pitch and win games.
"Players that the gaffer will bring in are bound to give is a bit of extra bite and for the players that are here they will need to prove themselves and that will be interesting.
"That's what the club needs; it needs to have competition in all positions."
Frampton spoke about what in particular the players are working on at the training ground as the team prepare for a training camp in France later this week.
He said: "First things are to get us fit, that's just the case during pre-season, it's what happens and to have a good group of lads who are in it together.
"They [training camps] are always very important and certainly with lads probably coming in and the ones from last year getting together it will be good team bonding away from the distractions of family.
"It's nice to have them about but it's also nice to get away with the lads."
Allen was appointed as manager last Thursday, and less than 24 hours in to his job he took the players to an outdoor pool for some light exercise work with new strength and conditioning coach James Russell.
Despite the water being cold and the weather far from ideal, Frampton believes that sort of workout is good for the squad.
He added: "Yeah it was pretty cold - we got used to it and were then told to dunk our heads under as part of a squat exercise and that showed how cold it was.
"It didn't help with a rain storm coming in just as we started!"
Russell is a new member of the coaching staff brought in by Allen, and the defender says he and the rest of the boys are enjoying working with him.
He said: "He's very good and very professional. He's come in and freshened things up in that approach and it's good to have him and his expertise in and around the squad."
With the off season now over and the playing staff back at the ground for training, Frampton is now eager to get going with the first league game of the new campaign at home to Bradford on August 18.
He said: "It's always good for the fans because they love to have their home game to start off the season. We have a tough game against Bradford, they are very physical but we'll be well up for it by then."