Matty Fryatt admitted that being battered black and blue in Bury was the driving force behind his close-season fitness campaign. Walsall might have suffered relegation at the end of last season, but the campaign was personal triumph for the Nuneaton born centre-forward. He made his Football League debut during a loan spell at Carlisle and then came back to make an impression on Saddlers' supporters despite their final-day demotion. The icing on the cake was a goalscoring appearance for the England Under-18 side against Sweden as well. For a lot of 18-year-olds that would be the signal to have one big party all summer but Fryatt realised that there were some aspects that he still needed to work on. So while a lot of players have spent the summer recuperating, Fryatt has been enduring hard labour at the Bescot Stadium in a bid to cement a first team place under Paul Merson next year. Ian Clarkson caught up with Fryatt and found out that his loan spell at Carlisle taught him one or two things about football that weren't in the brochure.
Q:WHY HAVE YOU DECIDED TO PUT YOURSELF THROUGH A WEIGHTS PROGRAMME THIS SUMMER?
A:I decided that I needed to be stronger this year and have been toning up on the weights this summer. I have put a stone on in weight, but I don't want to be a muscle-bound beefcake who can't get around the pitch. It is a question of toning up my physique and converting the puppy fat. Muscle is heavier than fat and that is why I have added weight.
Q:WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SPEND YOUR SUMMER ADDING BULK?
A:With us being relegated I realised that there will probably be a bit more of a mix of the physical stuff as well as the football side of things in this league. I spent the two weeks immediately after the end of the season on the weights and after a short holiday decided it was worthwhile carrying on.
Q:DID YOUR EXPERIENCE AT CARLISLE HELP IN THAT RESPECT?
A:There are some bruisers in League Two. When I played for Carlisle against Bury they had four monsters at the back and I can remember one player in particular - Danny Swailes - who battered me all game. I actually played against them twice during my loan spell and I didn't really look forward to the second meeting!
Q:IT WAS A GOOD LEARNING CURVE THOUGH?
A:Definitely. It was a great experience for me, playing against some good, tough defenders like that. It taught me what the Football League is all about and has proved invaluable.
Q:WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE SEASON?
A:This is a big season for me and I want to make sure I am in the best possible shape. The manager has already said that he is going to give youth a chance this year. I want to make sure that I play a big part in the team and that it is a big season for the club.
