Nick Mashiter's Walsall tour diary

There's no rest for the wicked.

When the Walsall squad arrived in Stirling yesterday after a mammoth six-hour coach journey from WS1, they may have been forgiven for thinking their day was done.

But physio Jon Whitney wasn't about to let them rest. It was a quick turnaround after finding their rooms before they headed to the pitches at Stirling University for a workout.

Captain Andy Butler said: "We left Walsall at about 7.30am and arrived here mid-afternoon.

"We grabbed lunch and looked around our living quarters then it was a quick change and straight out to get the long journey out of our legs."

Good luck for the rest of the week boys.

Nonetheless, manager Dean Smith can do no wrong so far – although the manager isn't one to dine out on past achievements.

Last season's 'Great Escape' has been consigned to the history books and the hard work starts now.

While the players are working, the 'Ginger Mourinho' is still breaking a mental sweat in his first pre-season as a manager.

It's been an eye opener for the boss – especially after physio Jon Whitney dismissed his previous summer plans.

Ever the one for detail, Smith showed Whitney his last eight years' work but was quickly shot down by the fitness guru.

The manager said: "It's good fun. I've planned pre-seasons before after being an assistant manager and, while I was with the youth team last year, I still planned for it.

"It's been good to sit down with Jon Whitney and I've had my last eight pre-seasons out in front of him but he said 'we don't do that anymore!'

"He's fantastic, his knowledge of the fitness side of the game is second to none. He's been a great help."

And, for those who don't know Stirling, it would be remiss not to mention some of its history.

It is the location of the Wallace Monument – in honour of William Wallace the 13th Century Scottish hero, or Mel Gibson's Braveheart for the younger generation.

The battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 was the first major victory for Wallace against the English in the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Soon after Wallace was named Guardian of Scotland, but he was captured by the English and hung, drawn and quartered for high treason in 1305.

As if it couldn't get any worse for Wallace he was then portrayed by Gibson – hardly a man of the people like Wallace – in the 1995 film Braveheart.