Iarrive at Lincoln City’s Elite Performance Centre before 9.30am, slightly sheepishly hiding my seven-year-old Toyota Yaris in a corner of a car park containing slightly more shiny vehicles.

The three full-sized pitches in front of me look immaculate. I have a pair of Nike Tiempos in the boot. It seems unlikely that I will be needed to show anyone how anything is done.

League One Lincoln are, at the time of my visit, starting week four of a pre-season schedule that began with condition testing on 26 June. The players had guides for staying fit in pre-season that, these days, are hardly needed. The age of a summer splurge has passed.

Most players either do individual training or work with personal fitness coaches in June. Competition has never been higher. Summer is a good time to get ah

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