During the pre-season schedule on the continent, a number of far fetched results pop up on score apps across the summer period, with sides from Europe’s top leagues putting unheard of outfits to the sword.

Take this week for example.

Bundesliga side Hannover put 14 goals past Ramlingen-Ehlershausen, and Napoli went even better with a 17 goal mauling of Anaunia.

In pre-season friendlies in which English Football league sides were involved, scorelines were much closer.

Barnet took the spoils over Premier League Swansea, and non-league Torquay condemning Championship side Bristol City to a 2-0 defeat.

Improving Burton did smash Kidsgrove Athletic 5-0, and Villa despatched Telford and Kidderminster with relative ease, but scorelines on our shorelines are much closer than those on the continent.

Yes, a pre season mauling has its benefits, as players return to a confidence boosting win, and strikers are allowed to rediscover their goalscoring boots following the summer break.

However many may ask, what’s the point?

Pre season schedules in the Football League are integral to success ahead of the new season, with trialists integrated into starting line ups in their hope of earning a full time contract, and manager’s using pressureless periods to try new things.

The off season is vital to fitness and the cohesion of new look squads, and competitive fixtures in which players are tested and challenged allows bosses to garner a true reflection of where their squad is at.

Pre season schedules in the Football League are well planned and considered, and maintain a competitive edge which appeases managers and fans alike.

What would a manager learn from a mauling of an amateur side full of 18 year olds?

And what would the losing side gain from a 17-0 thrashing?

Competitive fixtures are at the heart of pre season activity in the Football League, and for sides to be fully prepared for the big August kick off, they must be challenged in the 6 week build up.