ROSS Forbes just experienced his shortest ever pre-season break as a professional footballer — but insists he was still left counting down the days until Morton returned to training.

With the new League Cup group section kicking off on Saturday July 16, the Ton squad reported back to Parklea on June 16.

Despite returning on June 25 last summer, Forbes says he didn’t miss the extra nine days of rest and was more than ready to get back into the swing of 
things.

He told the Tele: “It’s been really good getting back into it. We’ve already played a couple of games and things are starting to click again. Obviously I enjoy going on holiday during the summer, but after a few weeks it gets quite boring.

“That’s especially the case because nobody else is off so you’re left yourself at times, so I always look forward to going back.

“It’s getting earlier and earlier every year, but it’s still enough rest time in my opinion. Like, the gaffer will still tell you to do a bit over the summer so you’re not doing nothing anyway.

“A good few weeks off is long enough and then by that time you’re just dying to get back into it again.” 

The Ton squad will have been back for a fortnight on Thursday, and they have already played a couple of closed-door matches, the most notable of which was a 1-1 draw with Dundee.

And while the playmaker isn’t going to read much into an early bounce game, he was encouraged by the display against a Premiership side.

Forbes added: “The running lasts for a couple of weeks at least but with the games coming we needed to integrate the football into it kind of early.

“We played Wednesday and Friday last week. I think the first one was against a sort of touring team of boys who have been released from clubs.

“Everybody played 45 minutes in that one. It’s obviously just the first match and gives you a chance to get a wee feel of the ball again in a game situation.

“On Friday we played Dundee up there and that was good as well. The boys did really well and it finished 1-1, Gary Oliver scored the goal.

“I played 35 minutes in the second half of that one. The gaffer was playing a few trialists and trying different things. 

“It’s pre-season so it’s just about mixing, matching and getting people fit.

“It was a good test. 

“Dundee had the first 20-25 minutes of it, but then the boys got into it, played really well and had the better of the second half.

“We held our own against a good team. 

“It is good preparation playing against a team at their level in pre-season and lets you know where you are. 

“They are quite beneficial these games. 

“I’m feeling brilliant and I think all the boys are looking well. We’re just dying to get back into the competitive games really.”