Neilston co-manager Chris Cameron reckons the Farmer’s Boys fitness levels will be hard to top next season after they completed a gruelling SAS style assault course at the weekend.

The Brig O’ Lea club kick-started their pre-season preparations with a trip to the Ayrshire Warriors gym on Saturday, an immersive boot camp experience, with Cameron admitting that himself, fellow co-boss Derek Carson and his squad were all taken aback at just how tough the course was.

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“It was a very, very tough session for the boys,” Cameron revealed. “We weren’t quite sure how it would go and what the set up was like down there but we had heard a few good things so thought we would give it a try. It ended up being a lot tougher than we expected to be honest with a lot of exhausted players at the end, but it’s the ideal preparation at this stage of the summer. 

“It was proper SAS training. We did a bit of boxing and cardio then moved onto the fields where the boys were flipping tyres, moving over and under cargo nets, carrying logs, throwing barrels - you name it, they did it. It was a proper Krypton Factor assault course - it was good to watch from a distance. 

Barrhead News: Neilston were put through their paces at brutal assault courseNeilston were put through their paces at brutal assault course

“I’m not too sure how many teams have been down there but we set a few course records. The effort the lads put in and the levels they’ve shown to date have been really encouraging for us. We’re delighted with how things are progressing.

“Derek and I had pinpointed some fitness issues in the last few months of the season without being able to work on them at that stage really, so it was a big priority for us this summer to make sure the boys got up to speed quickly with a good base level of fitness to work with.

“None of the boys like pre-season. It’s not a nice time of the year with the team all forced to do things they don’t like and push themselves. 

Barrhead News: The Farmer's Boys secured a few course records at the Ayrshire training campThe Farmer's Boys secured a few course records at the Ayrshire training camp

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“I hated it as a player but you need to do it. I just can’t wait for the games to start now. That’s the side of it we all love.”

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