FRIDAY, JULY 18

OUR worst fears were realised in the morning.

Not only were we back to double training sessions AGAIN after our day of rest and relaxation, Dan Harris laid on extra punishing routines.

It may have had something to do with how much pizza, fish and chips we tucked into the night before!

After a hard football session, Dan laid on three circuits and the last one was an absolute killer.

He told us he'd nicked it from American Football. The army, more like!

All the lads were in complete turmoil again afterwards and we spent the afternoon recovering.

We play our final tour game against Cologne on Saturday so we prepared for that in the evening session by working on team shape.

I played Cologne while on a pre-season trip to Holland with Middlesbrough two years ago and I can vouch for the fact we'll be in for another tough, physical game.

Like last Wednesday's opponents Borussia Monchengladbach, Cologne have also just won promotion to the Bundesliga, so it should be an interesting friendly.

Our work for the day wasn't done yet as we had a team meeting after dinner to discuss tactics.

We then had a little table tennis competition but there was very little craic. We were all bantered out due to the turmoil in our aching bodies!

Joking aside, we know all the hard work we're putting in now will stand us in good stead for when the Barclays Premier League gets underway.

Pre-season is an essential part of being a footballer - I just want it to be over as quickly as possible!

News reached us in the afternoon that Scott Carson had completed his move from Liverpool and I think it's a great signing.

He's a proven top flight keeper and an England international and that's the calibre of player you want at your football club.

My room-mate, Brunty, played with Scott at Sheffield Wednesday and he says he's a top-class keeper and a nice lad to boot.

The gaffer's now got plenty of competition in the goalkeeping department and it's up to Deano, Michal, Luke and Scott to battle it out for the shirt.

All the lads will be looking over their shoulders as the gaffer brings more new faces in over the next month - and rightly so.

He could sign somebody in my position and the more competition for places we have in the camp, the better.