OXFORD United's players returned for the first day of pre-season training at their Milton training ground base yesterday, in typically warm weather yesterday.

And U's manager Darren Patterson was delighted to see central defender Christ Willmott and Luke Bennett taking part along with the other squad members.

"Both players missed almost the whole of last season because of knee injuries," Patterson said.

"Motty's worked hard on his fitness right through the summer, he's not stopped really.

"It's great to see Luke Bennett there. When you think what he's been through, the boy's mental strength is first-class."

Bennett, 19, suffered a cruciate ligament injury at the start of the 2006-7 season.

Then, in a comeback practice game in the pre-season last year, he did exactly the same thing.

Out-of-favour tranfer-listed duo Eddie Hutchinson, and Alex Jeannin trained separately to the other first-team squad members, evidence that Patterson wants them off his wage bill.

"They are both good lads who train hard. It's just that they aren't in my plans, " he said.