Alan Pardew's team are nearly ready to return for pre-season training.

The big kick off is on August 9th away at Ipswich but there is a lot of work to do before the team can take to the field at Portman Road.

Pre-season training, the time every professional footballer hates, is almost upon us once more. Martin Butler, Nicky Shorey, James Harper et al have enjoyed the summer pies but now they must return to work them off.

On July 15th the first team get their pre-season campaign underway when they travel to face Brentford for the first time since the Royals secured a dramatic promotion at Griffin Park in April 2002.

The team will then embark on a pre-season tour of Sweden before returning to the UK and playing this year's one and only home pre-season game, against Premiership outfit Southampton on August 1st.