Nottingham Forest's players launched their preparations for the 2009-10 Championship campaign today in sweltering conditions.

The players reported back for pre-season training and were put through their paces by manager Billy Davies and his coaching staff at the club's Holme Road training ground.

It was straight back in at the deep end with two gruelling but carefully planned sessions on either side of a welcome lunch break.

Some of the players have already been back in training for a week having elected to return early.

But all were hard at work today - apart from Welsh striker Robert Earnshaw, who has been given an extended break due to his international commitments at the end of last season.

Summer signings Dele Adebola and David McGoldrick trained with their new team-mates for the first time, while Paul Anderson renewed acquaintances with the Forest squad after his loan from Liverpool became a permanent agreement.

View the Photo Gallery of the first day's training here.