‘Basic rules’ will apply as Nunn’s Diamonds prepare for first pre-season friendly

Diamonds head to last season’s Spartan South Midlands League Division One champions Real Bedford for their opening friendly of the summer this weekend before heading to Nunn’s former club Kempston Rovers next Tuesday evening.

Nunn has been busy in recent weeks as he rebuilds a Diamonds squad that will be playing in the Northern Premier League Midlands next season.

And he insists he wants to see the “ingredients you need to be successful” on show as they get their first run-out.

“It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were playing Kings Langley (on the last day of last season) but a lot of work has gone in since then,” the Diamonds boss said.

“I feel like we have a really good, young side that will be competitive in our league.

“We will probably have two teams on Saturday, we will mix it up and try a few things out. I am really looking forward to it.

“I have already planned what I want to do with it but the basic rules will apply - if you haven’t got the ball, work hard to get it back and if you have the ball, work hard to keep it.

“Real Bedford will have some very good players on Saturday and then we have Kempston, who are a Step 4 club, on Tuesday so we will know a bit more about the lads after these first two games.

“I still want us to put in performances and be hard to beat.

“It’s hard when you are making 11 changes in the middle of a game but I want to see those ingredients you need to be successful in pre-season. I don’t want people to think it doesn’t matter because it does.”

Nunn, meanwhile, has retained two more players from last season’s squad with Eniola Agemoh-Davies and Fraser Corden deciding to stay on at Hayden Road.