I’M used to showing people their way around Turf Moor as part of the hospitality matchday packages. But this week I had my own tour behind the scenes.

Work has been underway all summer to get the ground ship-shape for the Premier League.

The dressing rooms and dugouts have had an upgrade, and the tunnel has relocated.

But while it’s important for me to familiarise myself with the new look Turf I’m more interested in what matters on the pitch look like.

Tomorrow’s game with Verona is the last friendly before our first game back in the top flight, and it will be my first look at the class of 2014/15 after I missed Tuesday night’s first home friendly.

My 50th wedding anniversary – and a celebration meal with all our family – took precedence over Burnley v Celta Vigo, although the result was pleasing and it sounded like it was another good run-out for the players.

The excitement will be building up to that home clash with Chelsea a week on Monday, and the lads will all be desperate to avoid injury in this last game.

But at the same time they will be desperate to make sure they are in the manager’s thoughts for that first teamsheet.

Danny Ings sat out the midweek match as a precaution. That’s the sensible thing to do because it is not worth the risk at this stage, and there are no qualms at all about his fitness levels.

It will be interesting to see who lines up alongside him after Lukas Jutkiewicz scored twice on Tuesday.

It’s pleasing for the striker to make such an early mark.