Skipper Luke Chambers believes the new twice-weekly Covid-19 testing programme announced by the EFL earlier in the week was well overdue.

Town boss Paul Lambert had been among those to express their frustration at the irregularity of testing in the EFL divisions in contrast with the Premier League where players have been tested twice a week since football’s resumption.

The EFL finally made their move to test twice every week, starting Monday, after a signficant number of fixtures, including the Blues’ last four, were postponed due to positive tests.

“At the end of the day, we’ve all got families,” Chambers told the club site. “Everyone is in a lockdown and we’re still playing football without testing.

“It’s a shame that it needed around 50 games to be postponed for action to be taken — everything is alright until it’s not.

“We’ve done everything we’ve been asked to do. We haven’t been in the building at the training ground since March and followed all the protocols.”

The PFA will be funding EFL testing going forward, however, Blues owner Marcus Evans has paid for the tests which have taken place since the summer, at a cost of almost £40,000.

Photo: Matchday Images

Suffolkboy added 18:43 - Jan 7 Well said LC ; and for those who aim off barbs at ME , I wonder what there'll be to say now ? There ARE people and things still to be proud of at ITFC ! COYB
11

Saxonblue74 added 19:12 - Jan 7 Absolutely Skipper. Suffolkboy, I've no doubt that ME will come in for criticism for this just as he did for his recent NHS donation. Absolutely beggars belief.
8

stiff_talking added 02:07 - Jan 8 Keep criticizing EFL and we can expect continued dodgy ref decisions going against us We are not well liked by EFL or it's ref committee I don't get this continued bickering
-1

ArnieM added 10:00 - Jan 8 The EFL are incompetent!
2

hogster1970 added 11:01 - Jan 8 this is prime example of the efl being re-active to the situation rather than proactive to it. with testing capacaity as it is even at the begining of december it could have been ramped up then, with the efl subsidising it for the smaller clubs. but better go looking for the horse now its bolted to the other end of the field at least it didnt excsape lol, well said chambo buy the way

1

Jugsy added 11:25 - Jan 8 Being reactive rather than proactive is an epidemic in itself. Too many organisations with too much money in the wrong pockets are allowed to operate this way - casing point is of course the government but English football never shines when action is required. Well done ME and ITFC for trying to do things the right way despite the authorities being lax to do so.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls