Dover Athletic start pre-season training on Tuesday and Ricky Modeste admits he can’t wait.

He’s keen to make up for lost time and says he’s done with “chilling.”

Modeste missed almost five months last season after damaging ankle ligaments in the 2-1 league win against Eastleigh at Crabble on August 23. Now he’s raring to get going again.

The winger, who signed a new one-year deal to stay with Whites in April and is about to start his fourth season at the club, joked: “It’s been a long summer but I’ll have to have a word with the gaffer on the quiet before the first session.

“I want to do minimal running and no contact sessions – I’ve got to take care of my ankle!

“Seriously though, I am looking forward to catching up with the lads again and getting back down to business.

“The season may be a while off but the hard work starts now.

“We did so well last season (Dover finished eighth) and we’ve got to ensure we hit the ground running if want to improve on it.

“We didn’t make a good start to last season (Dover won just two of their first 11 league games, while losing eight and drawing the other) and we’ve got to put that right this time around if we are to challenge for the play-offs.”

Dover will wear three new kits next season, supplied by Genesis Sports and PUMA branded, and winger Ricky Modeste got the opportunity to see what they are like when he acted as a model for the third kit at the release.

But what did Modeste make of the red shirt, black shorts and black socks he modelled?

“Very cool. I like it a lot, but I like the blue away kit the best. I wanted to model that one but Tyrone (Sterling) got his hands on it first.

“Tom (Wynter) turned up late so he had to settle for the home kit – he had no choice!”