Sunderland players know all about the rigours of sustaining a prolonged promotion battle in League One.
It's a long, hard, slog, and this season has been made even more difficult to navigate by the concentrated fixture list due to the delayed start to the campaign.
Injuries are part and parcel of the modern game, of course, but former Black Cats star Julio Arca believes his old club could have a trump card in their pack.
Sunderland's physical performance coach Nick Allamby has worked closely with the players throughout a difficult summer, ensuring fitness plans were place so that the squad could return to training with the minimum of fuss.
Arca has seen first-hand how Allamby's work can have a major impact, having watched him look after Jonathan Woodgate during his playing days with Middlesbrough.
Woodgate's career was plagued by injuries, but popular Argentinian Arca revealed how Allamby's fitness regime got the best out of the former England defender.
Arca said: "I remember his (Woodgate's) first season at the club (Middlesbrough) and he played a lot of games. He was unbelievable.
“But then he started getting injured a lot after that and it showed.
“His first season was great. He played over 30 games in the Premier League.
“We had a fitness coach - Nick Allamby, who is at Sunderland now. He was great. Our pre-season was really hard, but we were fit!
“Nick looked after Jonathan a lot. He would do different work sometimes, looking out for him and paying close attention to make sure he was in the right way.
“It made sense because he was so good and he was an important player for us.
“Nick did a great job and Jonathan responded really well.
“When Jonathan was fit, fantastic defender.”
Sunderland will be hoping Allamby can work similar miracles - if needed - this season.
The Black Cats struggled without Bailey Wright last season after the Australian, then on loan, picked up damage to his ankle ligaments.
Now, after making his move to Wearside a permanent one, Wright looks to be one of the key men in Sunderland's promotion push, with Allamby helping to ensure the injury is a thing of the past.
