By Chris Wright
We’ve gone trawling through the PA archives again, this time bringing you 21 brilliant vintage black-and-white photos of players slogging their way through the bane of every professional footballer’s life: pre-season training…
Notts County players go for a jog during pre-season training at Meadow Lane, 1929
Chelsea’s John Harris commandeers a team-mate to help him stretch at Stamford Bridge, 1950
West Ham players play leapfrog on the beach at Southend, 1951
Brentford player-manager Tommy Lawton brings out the hardware as his players train at Griffin Park, 1953
Blackpool pair Stanley Matthews (left) and George Farm run up and down the terraces at Bloomfield Road, 1959
Norman Deeley leads the rest of the Wolves squad in an energetic ‘knees up’ exercise, 1960
Arsenal ‘keeper Jack Kelsey poses proudly after saving nine shots at once, 1961
Arsenal teammates Bill McCullough, Gerry Ward and Danny Clapton go for a run around London Colney, 1961
Chelsea practice their shooting en masse at Ewell, 1961
Chelsea trio Peter Brabrook, Peter Sillett and Johnny Brooks practice their juggling skills, 1961
QPR pair Roy Bentley and Mark Lazarus link arms and leap over hurdles at White City Stadium, 1962
Southend United players loosen up with some heading practice at Roots Hall, 1962
Tottenham striker Jimmy Greaves tests his balance at Cheshunt, 1962
Arsenal limber up(side down) at London Colney, 1962
Charlton Athletic’s Brian Kinsey goes head over heels at The Valley, 1965
Charlton players Jack Kennedy, Len Glover, Roy Matthews and Brian Kinsey do laps at The Valley, 1965
One season on and nothing changes as Charlton’s players go a-hurdling once again, 1966
New signing Derek Possee is given a ride on the roundabout at the children’s park near Millwall’s practice pitch at Eltham, 1967
Leyton Orient ‘keeper Ronald Willis, 19, and his 15-year-old younger brother Allen (still an apprentice at the time) prepare for the new season, 1967
Arsenal captain Frank McLintock leaps over chairs to demonstrate his fitness at Highbury, 1968
Arsenal ‘keeper Pat Jennings lends the Highbury ground-staff a helping hand during training, 1981
(Photos: PA)