Anton Ferdinand and Jack Collison know better than most how pre-season tours can provide academy players with a path into first team football.
It was the summer of 2003 when Ferdinand was given his chance to impress during a West Ham training camp in Sweden - and his efforts led to a professional debut on the opening day of the season.
For Collison, it was a late call up to a pre-season tour of North America in 2008 which saw him play alongside Scott Parker that kick-started his rise to the first team.