With just eight days remaining until the Scunthorpe squad return for pre-season testing, manager Russ Wilcox has hailed experience that certain players can bring to the team.
Attack minded duo Gary McSheffrey and Deon Burton both have numerous years of Championship and Premier League experience behind them which will undoubtedly work in the club’s favour during the course of the 2014-2015 campaign.“We’ve stepped up a level and there are some youngish players around the group,” Wilcox told The Iron Player.
“Gary and Deon can add their experience to that because they’ve both been there, done it and seen it all.
“That’s why I wanted to keep those two experienced players with me, to help the rest of the group.”
As well as the knowledge and know-how of playing in higher divisions, Wilcox has also highlighted the level of ability that McSheffrey and Burton still have despite both being the wrong side of 30.
And that’s something that the Iron boss will be looking to call upon throughout the new season.
He continued: “The main thing Gary can bring us is quality, his quality of delivery from dead ball situations is outstanding.
“It’s difficult to say with Deon. Is he going to play 10 games, is he going to play 40 games? No idea.
“It’s a difficult one, hopefully he’ll be available to play them all because I think he showed over last season what he can do and I think he surprised himself.
“He played a lot of 90 minutes under me as well and he’s still very fit.
“He’s in great shape, he manages his body really well and hopefully if he can stay injury free he’ll play a big role next season.”
Another experienced player that Wilcox will be able to call upon throughout the season is Marcus Williams who has spent the vast majority of his eleven year career to date in League One or the Championship.
The fullback, also deployed as a winger at times during the last campaign, has been recovering from a hernia injury recently but should be fine to return with the rest of the squad for pre-season training on 24th June.
Wilcox continued: “Marcus should be absolutely fine. We’ve got a testing day on the 24th of this month and he’s going to be back for that so we’ll just assess from there really.
“It’s pretty straight forward and you like to think nowadays that key hole surgery has moved on a lot so he should be raring to go come pre-season.”
See much more from Russ Wilcox on The Iron Player.