Pompey’s players have returned for pre-season training.
The hot and sunny conditions would have been welcomed by those heading to the beach, although the mercury was perhaps a tad too high for an intensive workout.
Kenny Jackett watched his squad being put through their paces by assistant manager Joe Gallen and the rest of the coaching team.
New signings Lee Brown, Louis Dennis, Craig MacGillivray, Tom Naylor and Ronan Curtis were all present at the Blues’ Copnor base.
They were joined by already established Pompey stars, including the 2017/18 top scorer Brett Pitman and Player of the Season Matt Clarke.
Everyone started with running and stretching exercises, intended to brush away the cobwebs following the summer break.
But it did not take long for the footballs to come out, with the competitive juices already flowing in a series of small-sided games.
Then, after lunch and the dreaded ice baths, the players took to the gym for some more fitness work in the afternoon.
It is all designed to get Pompey ready for the League One opener against Luton on Saturday, August 4.
A series of friendly fixtures will also help with that and the first of those arrives on Monday, as the Blues travel to Cork.
Those heading over the Irish Sea will get a chance to see the new arrivals in action for the first time.
More will then be at Westleigh Park to see the traditional clash with the Hawks a few days later.
There will be plenty of hard graft from he players as they prepare for the 2018/19 campaign, but the jovial spirit around the training ground suggests they are ready for it.
⚽️ Didn’t take too long for the footballs to make an appearance #pompey pic.twitter.com/FA4EOC8VDl
— Portsmouth FC (@officialpompey) June 27, 2018