Nicky Southall has taken a leaf out of former Gillingham boss Tony Pulis’ book to get his Lordswood players in shape.

Pulis used to run his Gills players hard in pre-season and Southall has followed that example at Southern Counties East Lords.

“I’ve really put the boys through it,” he said.

“We’ve gone a bit old-school, running up hills and through woods and stuff like that.

“I’ve told the boys everything you’re doing as players I’ve done as well, so I know what you’re going through and where your mindset is.

“I’d never put on a session - running or coaching - that I haven’t done myself.

“You’re thinking it’s tough and I’ve been through exactly those same mental feelings as well.

“Pre-season is meant to be tough.

“I’ve never come across a player who said they loved pre-season.

“It’s one of those necessary evils you have to put yourself through.”

Southall accepts his methods aren’t the done thing so much these days but hard graft under Pulis never did him any harm.

“I think it has gone out of the game,” said Southall.

“It’s more like testing and that now in pre-season but I just think as footballers you’ve got to run, haven’t you?

“My first pre-season at Gillingham, Tony Pulis made us run around Gillingham, Parkwood, Wigmore, Twydall.

“It was 10-mile runs and we did it for five days in a row.

“He was old-school but he knew what he was doing.

“He used to say you’ve got to get the mileage in your legs, which will benefit you when the balls come out, and it worked.

“I could run all day - everyone knows that - but I think you’ve got to get that base fitness as a player otherwise you end up picking up injuries where you’re not as fit as you should be.

“When you’ve got that base fitness, added with your sharpness and your strength and conditioning in the gym, it’s a key element.

“Most of the players were saying they normally do three weeks of pre-season at this standard.

“I said to them it’s going to be the hardest pre-season they’ve ever had, and it has been.”

A Lordswood side made up mainly of trialists lost 2-0 in their opening friendly at Sheppey Sports on Monday night.

They trained last night before meeting Staplehurst at Kings Hill Sports Park on Saturday.

That’s followed by Maidstone under-23s away on Tuesday night (7.45pm) with Southall expecting a big crowd as the hosts play the first game on their new 3G pitch at the Gallagher Stadium.

Lordswood have strengthened over the summer, including the arrivals of Hythe trio Jake Embery, Brad Schafer and Jarred Trespaderne along with Elliott Duncan.

Things are looking good for the new season.

“We’ve made some good signings,” said Southall.

“I just can’t wait for the season to get going now.

“We’ve also got Matt Gething, who’s scored a lot of goals at this level, and Callum Peck, who was at Chatham, so the foundations are there.

“We need to think about getting a few more clean sheets this season because if we do that, the boys up top will hopefully fire the goals in.”

Southall led Lordswood to 11th place in Southern Counties East last season and hopes to challenge for the play-offs.

He added: “There’s always one team who nobody expects to be up there.

“I just can’t believe the amount of good players coming down from the leagues above, so there’s obviously some decent budgets around.

“It’s crazy the way it’s gone. You speak to players now and you’re saying to them, come on, be sensible.

“We’re pleased with what we’ve brought in and there were some good players already there.

“We’re looking at a number of trialists as well, players who’ve been released by league clubs, even Gillingham.

“We seem to be attracting the right sort. It’s been really positive.”