Work begins in a week for Clark’s new squad

SIMON Clark has just a week to wait before he can get his hands on his new squad.

The Tigers boss is ready for his first pre-season in charge at the club, and says he’s looking forward to getting back to work on the training ground on 30th June.

“I can’t wait,” he told the Guardian.

“It’s what it’s all about. I’ve just been doing some profiling on the players and putting down some ideas.”

“All the hard work that’s gone into finding them and signing them is all about getting them on the training ground.”

And the former Stamford gaffer plans to stamp his authority on proceedings, right from the off.

“I’ve told every one of them, when they sign on the dotted line they are mine.”

“This year it’s my dressing room and I will ask a lot more of them.”

“I’m busy planning and getting ready to put ideas and information into them.”

When pre-season training begins three youngsters will be trying to impress Clark enough to win places in his 2012/13 squad.

Tom Dodds, formerly of Boston United reserves, and two former Lincoln City prospects Reece Thompson and Andy Hutchinson, are all to train with Worksop Town.

Clark revealed that he is closer to agreeing deals with Ash Burbeary and Ryan Clarke, and he hoped to negotiate with Owain Warlow this week.

l SKY Television’s sports gameshow ‘A League of Their Own’ gave a glimpse of Clark’s fiery relationship with Barry Fry this week.

Clark played at centre-half and left-back for Fry at Peterborough, and a short clip showing a furious dressing room row between the duo was shown on the Sky1 programme.

Fry was seen accusing Clark of a mistake that led to a goal in an FA Cup tie, while the Tigers boss gave as good as he got.

He told the Guardian: “As a player I was honest, I would put my hand up if I made a mistake – but he was wrong.”

“I was marking my man and I couldn’t leave him to go free in the area.”

“We used to have weekly rows.”

“When I left he told me I wasn’t his kind of player and I told him he wasn’t my kind of manager.”

Clark played more than 130 times for Peterborough before moving to Leyton Orient in 1997.