The Fleet squad have arrived in Portugal today (Sunday) ahead of a week’s training and bonding session.

An early start from Gatwick Airport saw the bolstered 2017/18 Fleet squad board the 08:20 Monarch airline flight to Faro en route to the training base (pictured below) at Ria Park Hotel, near Vale De Lobo, Portugal.

Late signing Sam Magri followed on a later Norwegian Airlines flight and managed to get ahead of everyone else stuck in the passport queue at Faro, where the players showed some admirable patience after a long wait.

The Gibraltar Premier Division side Europa FC (pictured below in green) are sharing the Ria Park Hotel with the Fleet squad, ahead of their second-leg Champions League qualifier against Welsh side The New Saints in Faro on Tuesday – a sign of things to come, one optimistic member of the Fleet party was heard to remark!

Having already been put through their paces with return fitness tests at King’s Hill on Thursday and Friday, when Darren McQueen smashed last year’s 30m sprint record, the lads admitted they were anxious about the first few days of tests after their weeks off but there was little to concern the Fleet staff, with all the boys maintaining shape and fitness over the close season – and they’re all now buzzing to get back into serious training.

Daryl McMahon and his staff gave the players a briefing of the week and there was an initial light training session ahead of the heavier work to come after a good night’s rest for the squad.

We’ll have more photographs and the odd interview or two out of the camp to follow during the week.