Pre-season training can be tough, demanding and difficult to get through, whether you’re a Sunday league football player or a professional, and it can take a considerable amount of time to get up to speed.

Pre-season is all about regaining fitness, and it’s crucial whether you play for a rugby team, a cricket tea or a rowing club. The ultimate aim is to make sure you’re ready to give 100 percent when the competitive matches begin, and you can soon find yourself on the sidelines if you haven’t trained hard enough.

In football, it’s common to pick up injuries during pre-season, and that’s because the body goes from relaxed mode into intensive training, so you have to be careful and give yourself some recovery time between sessions. Make sure you prepare well for your next season ahead, whatever sport you’re involved in.

If you’re thinking about joining a Sunday league football team for the first time, then there are a few things you should know.

1. You have to pay for red and yellow cards. Not many people are aware of this until they get their first booking or red card, but you do get fined like professional footballers, and whilst it’s more like £20 rather than £20,000, it does happen.
2. Linesman are the subs. Referees often have to rely on the two teams to run the line, so if you’re a sub for a game, there’s a chance you could be running up and down the line with a flag until another player takes over.
3. Poor quality pitches or bad weather doesn’t postpone a match. Whether you pitch is waterlogged, or whether it’s covered with mole holes, the game often goes on, no matte how dangerous it is.