Terry excited by O's pre-season trip abroad

6:17pm Wednesday 2nd July 2008

ORIENT'S Paul Terry believes the club's upcoming pre-season trip to Belgium will have a similar positive effect on the team's start to the season as their excursion to Ibiza last year.

The O's got off to a flyer last time around, taking 16 points from a possible 18 in their first six games of the League One season, despite making their first appearance in English football's third tier for 13 years.

And Terry attributes much of that early success to the 'bonding' trip to the Spanish island - an experience he hopes will yield similar results this time around.

"It helped the squad no end last year and I think it really gave us a boost to go into the new season," said the midfielder.

"I'm really looking forward to going away for a few days with the lads again and hopefully it will have similar effect on our season as last time."

Terry was a new signing for Martin Ling last year after arriving from Yeovil, and he feels that 'living in each other's pockets' for a few days gave him the chance to bond with the rest of the squad.

And after seeing five new faces come in to Brisbane Road so far this summer, he is convinced that the trip to Belgium will do for them what it did for him just one year ago.

"It really helped me last year to bond with all the lads and it will give the new boys a chance to gel with everyone as well," added the 29-year-old.

Terry is excited about the prospect of getting to know the new arrivals, and insisted that it was 'healthy' to have plenty of competition for places.

"The lads will bring a new challenge for us all. We want to impress the manager and so will they.

"Everyone has to fight for their places because no-one is guaranteed a place in the team.

"And when there's someone breathing down your neck, trying to take your shirt, it can only help you to improve."

The former Dagenham and Redbridge player admitted he couldn't wait to get the campaign underway.

And believes there is enough quality in the squad to repeat the feat of last year and challenge for the all-important play-off places "I've been itching to get back playing for the last couple of weeks and I can't wait until the season starts," he said.

"We probably over-achieved a bit for three-quarters of last year and obviously there will be expectations for us to repeat that.

"I think the squad is capable of challenging in the top six but we need to find some consistency."

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