Lions president Tom Lewand has emphatically said since the NFL lockout started in early March that the two sides will come together and he didn’t expect any ill feelings on either side once it was settled.

Well, the NFL players approved the new collective bargaining agreement today and Lewand’s statement follows what he has said all along.

Players can report on Tuesday for voluntary conditioning and classroom work. Camp opens on Thursday in Allen Park.

Here is Lewand’s complete statement:

“First and foremost, we are happy for our fans because all they ever wanted was for us to play football and, thankfully, that’s what we are getting ready to do. This agreement is a big win for NFL football and for all NFL fans because it helps secure the long-term health of our game.

“It is a fair deal for players and teams. We will be able to grow the game and appropriately share that growth with our players as partners. It is a deal that places a high priority on player safety and on the integrity of our game.

“Both sides worked extremely hard throughout this process. All involved are to be commended on getting a deal done in time to avoid any disruption to the 2011 regular season.

“I want to especially thank our player representative, Kyle Vanden Bosch, and all Lions players who conducted themselves so professionally over the past several months. We are excited to see them again beginning tomorrow.”

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)