While most of the Pools players returned to the training ground for the first time since May yesterday morning, it was a case of same again for James Brown.

The young forward has been working hard to regain full fitness after suffering a ruptured Cruciate Ligament in November.

"I have been in training three days a week all summer," Brown told hartlepoolunited.co.uk.

"Usually the first day of pre season feels like the first day back at school but it's a bit different for me this year as I haven't really been off.

"I was still excited to get started again though - I didn't want the season to end."

As for when we'll first see him back on the pitch, Brown admits he is taking things slowly,

"I think we'll have to wait to see when I'll play my first game back - I need to spend some time training properly with the lads for now but hopefully I'll be able to get some minutes under my belt sooner rather than later."

Brown hasn't been alone in his training, with at least one of the Club's three Physios working with him right through the summer,

"It has actually been quite a long summer for me - some of the lads have been saying it flew past but with me being still in training, it hasn't gone so quickly for me.

"I've been working with one of the Physios and they've all been a big help to get me through it.

"I did get away for a week to Ayia Napa with three of the lads so that was a nice break but then I had a week to recover and was back training."

Looking ahead to next season and Brown's main aim is to get back into the team,

"Obviously I just want to get a run of games under my belt - the injury is feeling really good now and hopefully I'll be able to get my place back in the team and then score some goals."

And Pools are hoping that Brown's return to the team will see him gel well with new signing Adam Boyd,

"When I first came on the scene, it was about the time that Adam left the Club but I did play one pre season game with him and Joel Porter and we played well so hopefully that'll be exciting to watch.

We have a good group of lads here at the Club and, although I don't know many of the new faces yet, they seem like they'll fit in well and we'll be looking to work together to push up the table."