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Walsall to head to Poland in pre-season

Walsall will head to Poland for a training camp as part of their pre-season preparations ahead of the 2019-20 League Two campaign.

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Darrell Clarke’s side will fly out on Sunday, July 14, and return in time to face Notts County at Meadow Lane on Saturday, July 20.

The Saddlers currently have just 13 players contracted for next season with Clarke at the start of a major rebuild.

The boss has already strengthened his ranks with the additions of Stuart Sinclair and James Clarke.

But with a number of other players set to arrive, the boss believes it’s important the players get away so they can bond in time for the new season.

Walsall also hope to play a behind-closed-doors friendly with a Polish I Liga side as part of their preparations.

“It’ll be good to bond what will be a relatively new squad together,” Clarke said.

“I appreciate we’ve been given the opportunity to get away as it mixes the pre-season programme up.

“We report back for pre-season training on June 24 so it’s going to be a busy six-week period and it’s nice to have a change of scenery away from the training ground.

“It’s going to be a very tough pre-season for the boys. It’ll be good for them to spend an intense period of time together out in Poland to build team spirit and bond the group.”

Clarke said he was eager to take his players away when he was unveiled as Saddlers boss last month.

“We will probably look at going away somewhere – have four or five days bonding together,” he said.

“It’s about starting a fresh.”

Alongside the match they are set to play in Poland, the Saddlers have five other friendlies confirmed ahead of the new season – with every Saturday in July now taken up with a fixture.

Clarke’s side will face Alfreton Town on July 6, Nuneaton Borough on July 13, Notts County on July 20 and Tranmere Rovers on July 27.

They will also play Leamington on Tuesday, July 9.

All those matches will take place away from home.