Magpies boxing clever with champ Michael Jennings

Former Premier League striker Jansen says his old clubs Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers got the players boxing in their pre-season regimes.

And he says it was good to get the lads out of their comfort zone when they headed to Jennings Gym in Coppull last night to get some expert training last night.

He said: “Michael Jennings put the lads through their paces last night. When I was at Blackburn and Bolton we did a bit of boxing in pre-season.

“It gets your heart rate right up and it is a different type of fitness. It is good to get the lads doing something else and getting them out of their comfort zone.”

Jansen is having a more relaxed attitude to pre-season ahead of their first National League North game against FC United at Victory Park on August 6.

Chorley beat Euxton Villa 5-0 in their opening pre-season game, but have lost to Championship side PNE, National League side Southport and Welsh outift Airbus UK 2-1 in their last three games.

And Jansen is looking forward to Wednesday’s home friendly against Wigan and Saturday’s game at Trafford.

He said: “Pre-season is going very well. Last season I was thrust into management and I wanted to win every game.

“But this season I am more interested in looking at trialists, trying different systems and getting the players fitness levels up.

“I spoke to (PNE boss and his ex-Blackburn team mate) Simon Grayson after we played them and he said that we battered his team in the first half. We have got the players playing in special vests that monitors their fitness levels and everyone is treating it like a bit of a competition.”