As the tour comes to a close, I write the final #IroninAustria media blog while travelling back in the van as the long journey back looms.
Finished with a bang...
There's no doubt that the Iron finished their tour in style with a 6-0 victory over SV Austria Salzburg; their third victory by that margin in four games. Five goalscorers on the night and six different players on the scoresheet against SK Strobl saw the goals fly in by a variety of methods - certainly an encouraging sign going into the new season.
Goalscoring threats - and clean sheets too...
United have scored 20 goals in four pre-season matches and with the likes of Hakeeb Adelakun on four strikes, Cameron Burgess on three, while Paddy Madden, Josh Morris, Kevin van Veen and Kyle Wootton have two. Sam Mantom, Conor Townsend, Jonny Margetts, Noel Burdett and Neal Bishop have all also netted one each - essentially a team of scorers (11) already.
On the flip side, the Iron have conceded just 10% compared to the goals they've netted; keeping three clean sheets along the way. Both of those came against York City, but Scunthorpe still battled back to draw 2-2.
A long, tough week...
Seeing another pre-season tour first hand gives you the realisation how much hard work goes into planning a season and how fit the players have to be to make the cut.
From runs and bike rides first thing in the morning, to gym sessions and double grass sessions, every ounce of exertion has been squeezed and every day has been used to its full potential. That said, even the rest day included an extended 90 minute bike ride before a selection of staff and players ascended the Dachstein mountains to the viewing point of Five Fingers.
The season isn't far away...
It doesn't seem like five minutes since the last season finished, nor does it seem long since pre-season started, but we are just two weeks away from getting back underway for the 2017-18 campaign.
With a home fixture against Sunderland on Wednesday and then a trip to Luton Town in a weeks time, the final preparations will be put in place. There's certainly no time to rest, with no stone left unturned.
Until next year?...
As I publish this post, we are driving towards Frankfurt in Germany and will hopefully return home by very late on Saturday. The players will travel to Munich airport for an afternoon flight home, before resting on Sunday and returning to full training on Monday.
Until next year, perhaps, #IroninAustria coverage complete!