Academy Manager, Tony Philliskirk is getting ready to start his side's pre-season training tomorrow.
The Young Blues will be put through their paces, in what Philliskirk describes as a "tough" routein.
"When you mention the word pre-season, every footballer fills with dread." The Academy Manager said.
"It will be tough for the boys, but the difference between the pro and the youth team is, especially the first year group we’ve got coming in, they’re going from part time - two to three nights a week and playing every other weekend to full time training which is two or three sessions a day plus games.
"We’ve got to be very careful with the group that we don’t overdo it too soon because they’re just physically and mentally not ready for that.
"It’s got to be very well organised, very structured and because we’re not going away this pre-season we’ve organised more games, so we’re looking at the games programme to increase fitness levels as well as the work they’ll do on the training fields.
"So, that’s what the pre-season will be based around, slow and steady to begin with, build them into it by the third or fourth week of pre-season and they’ll be working hard, doing more hours with an increased games programme to hopefully get them ready and be spot on for the 5th August when our league campaign starts."
The youth team return to the club for training tomorrow and play their first game of the pre-season on Saturday, July 8 against Wythenshawe Town.
The full pre-season fixture list is as follows:
Saturday, July 8 - (12pm kick off)
Wythenshaw Town vs. Oldham Athletic
Tuesday, July 11 - (12pm kick off)
Bolton Wanderers vs. Oldham Athletic
Saturday, July 15 - (11am kick off)
Oldham Athletic vs. Blackpool
Tuesday, July 18 - (1pm kick off)
Bury vs. Oldham Athletic
Saturday, July 22 - (12.30pm kick off)
Sunderland vs. Oldham Athletic
Saturday, July 29 (11am kick off)
Oldham Athletic vs. Rochdale
All home fixtures will take place at Chapel Road.