If the Latics players thought week one of pre-season training was hard, then they must think again.

Manager Paul Dickov says its intensity will increase this week in the build up to Saturday's opening friendly at Blue Square Premier club Barrow.

Dickov maintains that his goal is that the players will be fitter than they ever have been in readiness for the start of the season.

Long-term injured players Rob Purdie, Andy Holdsworth and Joe Jacobson were excused from training on Saturday so not to push them too hard on their returns from lengthy lay offs.

But the Latics manager is delighted with their progress saying the work they did in the opening week exceeded what had been expected of them.