Following United's tough pre-season training programme in the heat of Malta, Kevin Blackwell rewarded the players by giving them a true taste of the James Bond lifestyle.

After Friday morning's training session, players were given the option to spend their rest period on a Sunseeker Powerboat, being taken for a spin around Malta's stunning coastline.

The 'Sunseeker Experience Malta' powerboats, that have previously featured in the James Bond movies 'Never Say Never' and 'Quantum of Solace', pulled-up at the Portomaso Marina to take the players for a cruise around some the island's most beautiful hotspots.

The highlight of the trip was a visit to the Maltese lower east coast of Delimara. The location boasts dazzlingly blue waters that fame it as a swimmer's paradise. All the players enjoyed cooling down with a quick dip in the secluded bay.

Gary Speed said: "It was great, as we have trained hard out here and it was nice to be rewarded with a couple of hours on the powerboat. We can now get ready for tonight's game, which is doubling up as a training session. It's important we get the fitness out of it, so we are ready for the game against Middlesbrough in four weeks time."

The Blades team is now focusing on this evening's game against Maltese Premier League club Floriana, staged at the ground of Hibernians FC.