ALFIE Potter is relishing his first pre-season with Oxford City as he eyes a return to full fitness.

The former Oxford United forward did not train after the Vanarama National League South season ended prematurely in February due to a ruptured calf.

Potter underwent surgery and has since been mainly limited to gym work, but links up with his City team-mates this weekend as they begin pre-season.

While some players struggle to stay in shape when they are not training, the 32-year-old has the opposite problem.

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He said: “When I’m not training the weight falls off me.

“I need to be in the gym and training to keep the weight on.

“I had an injury in the last game of the season and ruptured my calf and needed surgery, so my time off has been rehabilitation.

“I haven’t been able to do much running, it’s mainly stretch stuff, so I’m actually looking forward to pre-season.”

Potter’s move to City last December saw him return to Oxford more than five years after he left United.

In between, he had spells at AFC Wimbledon, Northampton Town and Mansfield Town, before dropping into non-league with Billericay Town.

Pre-season is a different beast at City’s level, where players are part-time, but Potter knows boss David Oldfield will work them hard.

He said: “I’ve heard the gaffer’s pre-season is pretty tough.

“He’s only got us two or three evenings a week, so I think he crams it all into those days.

“It’s got to be done, it’s great to be able to do what we do so you’ve got to put the hard work in with it.

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“It’s an hour and a half, two hours tops, so it’s not the end of the world.

“When I get to the end of my career I’ll miss it a lot, so I’m going to enjoy every last pre-season I’ve got.”

City’s National League South campaign was declared null and void just two months after Potter arrived, with the club fourth in the table.

Even in that time, he was impressed by the standards set by Oldfield.

Potter said: “When I started to train at City, training was intense.

“It took me a little bit of time to get used to, because it was 100 miles per hour in those little sessions he puts on.

“When you’re only training two or three nights a week you need that.

“We were so fit last year – that’s why we ran over the top of teams with a few comebacks.”