MANAGER Peter Jackson will oversee an important practice match tomorrow as Town focus on kicking off the season with a win at Stockport on Saturday.
Jackson will put his injury-free squad through some fine tuning knowing more than 2,000 fans have bought tickets for the Edgeley Park opener.
Another 1,900 season-ticket holders bought seats for the Carling Cup-tie at Leeds during the first day of business yesterday and, with 1,650 already signed up to travel to Sheffield Wednesday, Town's support is sure to smash last season's total of 5,710 for the first three away games.
While that and the form of the versatile Nat Brown are a fillip for Jackson, a first spanner has been thrown into the works of planning for the initial throes of Coca-Cola League I action.
Midfielder Lee Fowler, who joined Brown on the scoresheet in last night's 2-0 friendly victory against Guiseley, has been selected in the Wales Under 21 squad for a match against Latvia in Riga on Wednesday, August 18.
Town received confirmation of his selection from the FA of Wales only in today's post and, reluctantly, have had to accept it will mean the promotion winning hero missing the re-arranged Monday night match against Hartlepool at the Galpharm just two days earlier.
"I'm delighted for Lee that he has been selected by Wales, but I'm not too happy that it was all announced in the press late yesterday before the club had even been notified," said Jackson today.
"I know that after some difficulties in the past, Lee is determined to do well for the national side this season and, if possible, to push himself forward to the senior squad.
"We are keen for him to achieve that as well but, in the meantime, he will miss what is a big early home game for us against Hartlepool."
On preparations, Jackson added: "I thought the attitude of the players at Guiseley last night was excellent and we thoroughly deserved to win.
"I thought Nat Brown was outstanding, it was good to see Lee Fowler looking sharp in the second half and also getting his name on the scoresheet and I'm delighted we've no bad injuries.
"We will have a full practice match tomorrow in which the focus will be the Stockport game and we'll also go through some of our set pieces.
"On Friday it will be just a light session, more work on specific planning and then it will be down to serious business."
It is Town's Autograph Day at the stadium tomorrow (2pm to 4pm).
