The Chichester City first team continue to train ahead of a busy pre-season schedule, with the first game coming this Saturday against Pagham.
Davidson is thrilled to be back with his teammates and said: “It’s brilliant, the atmosphere around and being around the boys training, getting some good coaching in, Dabba’s back as well. It’s nice to be back out here and enjoying it again.
“I just want to be out here with the boys and enjoy football because we’ve missed two years of it, so the enjoyment for me is the main thing at the minute.”
Chichester’s last match was back in December for a friendly against Horsham, and the last competitive fixture was a 5-1 win over Saltdean United in the Sussex Senior Cup in November.
Despite not playing for seven months, Davidson has remained committed to being ready for the new season. He said: “I’ve tried to keep myself fit as much as possible, so I think this is the fittest I’ve been going into a pre-season. Whether that’s having the time off and I’ve been more determined to keep myself fitter maybe, but it’s been hard.
“We did the testing at the start, and we’ve got testing at the end of pre-season. We’re looking forward to the game and that’s a real test on Saturday.”
This weekend pre-season begins with a trip to Pagham, a team that Davidson knows well having spent time playing there and he is expecting a tough battle.
The defender said: “They’ll be up for it, they always are when they play us, regardless of whether it’s a friendly or not. I played for them for five or six years, so I always want to go and play well when I’m there. It’s a nice club, the chairman and the staff there are nice, and it’ll be a good day for our first friendly.
“Minutes is the one, none of us have played any competitive football for a long time. I was injured before the season last year so it’s even longer for me than some others. The minutes are important, maybe not 90, but a good 60 hopefully.”
After this weekend’s match against Pagham, it’s a quick turnaround for the next pre-season friendly as the team travel to face United Services.
“It’s games every Saturday and Tuesday and training on Thursday up until the start of the season now, so it comes thick and fast. Keeping yourself fit and making sure you don’t get injured or overdo anything is the main thing. For me as well, I want to be fit going into the start of the season.”
Having spent seven months away from Oaklands Park, the Chichester defender can’t wait to play there again in front of the supporters.
He said: “I’m buzzing for it. I don’t know what words to use, but to get competitive football back again and fans back. The atmosphere at the club will be brilliant to be around.”
