SAINTS are up and running and raring to go! It's little more than six weeks since Dave Jones's men secured their Premiership status and already they are preparing to do it all again.

The players are back in full-time training in preparation for their first friendly a week on Tuesday when the squad will be split for games at Aldershot and Kingstonian before going on tour to Norway.

Pre-season preparations began yesterday with the traditional first-day run round Southampton Common with virtually a full squad.

Mark Hughes returns on Monday after being given an extended break because he was on international duty with Wales until mid-June and the only other absentees were Richard Dryden and David Howells.

They are both still recovering from summer knee operations but expect to be able to join in within a fortnight while James Beattie and Scott Hiley have recovered from groin surgery.

After missing most of last season with torn cruciate ligaments, both John Beresford and David Hirst were relishing being back in the pack.

Hirst quipped: "This is a novelty - being fit for the first day of pre-season training!" And Beresford added: "I've been working hard and I just want to get playing again."

Player-of-the-season James Beattie is champing at the bit after his operation while Matthew Le Tissier is looking forward to the new campaign after his brief substitute appearance for the Rest of the World XI against Australia.

Ken Monkou dropped in to say goodbye to his former teammates after turning down a one-year deal to become a Bosman free transfer.

Asked if he was about to rejoin Chelsea he replied: "Maybe. It should be sorted out in the next day or so."

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