Just 47 days after the final match of the 2020/21 season against Queens Park Rangers, Bradley, manager Nathan Jones and five new signings took to the field at The Brache and underwent tests as pre-season swung into action.
“After you have a couple of weeks off, you then want to get back into it,” said the defender after a break for lunch. “I think for a good few weeks now we have been raring to get going and today is the day.
"So far, we have had a really good day, it’s a double session today so I think by the end of the day, the lads will be feeling it a little bit! That is what it’s all about. We have seen the fixtures now and we have something to work to.”
The 29-year-old has taken it upon himself to make the new players feel welcome on their first day and has praised the recruitment so far this summer.
“I have been here for three years now and when I came in, I was made to feel welcome and everyone in-between for the last three years has been made to feel welcome. As captain I do want to speak to them and make them feel comfortable, but for me, the talking starts when the football starts and I’m excited. I know there is a lot of talent in that dressing room now and I just want to see what they’re like on the pitch.”
Continuing, the defender said: “When you go away in the summer, it is always exciting thinking about who your club is going to bring in. At the end of last season, I said I had no doubt that we would recruit well and on paper when you look at the quality of player we have brought in, it is very good.
“I had no doubt at all that we would do that but now it is about getting on the training pitch, working with each other and ultimately, they will be judged on their performances throughout the season.”
Bradley also had time to reflect on the fixture list after it was revealed Luton’s 2021-22 Sky Bet Championship season would kick-start against newly promoted Peterborough United.
“It is an exciting day looking at the fixtures and now you can start to plan pre-season and building up to that Peterborough game. It is a tough one, obviously they will be full of momentum coming up from League One and it will be a difficult game.
“The main thing for me, what I was thinking about was I wanted to be at home for the first game, and we are. For me, we could have played anyone, as long as we were at home. That is what I really wanted.”
