Town are ready to resume training immediately if the EFL gives the OK for the League One season to be restarted, according to Blues general manager of football operations Lee O'Neill.

An EFL statement on Friday indicated that no decision on the future of the 2019/20 campaign at League One level will be made until next week with the widespread expectation that the majority of clubs want the season brought to an early end with places, promotion and relegation settled by unweighted points per game, largely due to the cost of staging matches behind closed doors and coronavirus testing.

The Blues are among the sides who have lobbied to play the season to its conclusion.

“If we get the green light to carry on with the season, we will be ready to go straight away,” O’Neill told the club site.

“We can deliver phase one of a return to training in line with all the guidelines. Players will arrive at Playford Road in their kit and be directed through a ‘one-way system’ to be tested for their temperature and other medical requirements.

“There will be no close contact between anyone; it will be social distancing at all times and small groups working far apart. Players will drive straight home after training and wash their own kit.

“Everything is in place for phase one return and while we have looked at what is required going forward and are confident we can meet all the protocols, there is no point in actively moving in that direction until a decision is made on whether our season will continue or not.”"

Meanwhile, Tranmere chairman Mark Palios claims his proposal for ending the campaign based on points per game but with an added margin of error which could extend the play-offs to more than the usual four clubs is a more just way of settling a curtailed season than the EFL's unweighted points per game proposal.

“We’re trying to effect a compromise as close to the EFL’s position but iterate our original proposal to reflect the wishes of the majority of clubs and achieve a fairer solution that football people will recognise as such,” said Palios, whose side would be relegated under unweighted points per game.

Clubs have until 2pm on Tuesday to submit proposals with the EFL then set to hold a meeting on Monday 8th June where they will be voted on by all 71 clubs along with the overall framework for ending the season either now or played to its conclusion.

Photo: TWTD

FreddySteady added 13:48 - Jun 1 Players to wash their own kit...bless!
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Suffolkboy added 14:16 - Jun 1 So now what is the reason for not finishing off the season , other than very simply either unwillingness to recognise the challenge ,or more likely financial inability and lack of imagination on how to tackle that element !! Where there's a will there's always a way !– faint hearts never won anything !! COYB
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ITFCsince73 added 14:25 - Jun 1 It seems the 6 clubs below us in the league will be the deciding factor. All have nothing to play for, all have said they can't meet the cost. To many teams in L1, have there own agenda for any restart to happen, it would appear. But I still hold a faint hope, a restart is possible.
1

ArnieM added 14:26 - Jun 1 ....” If the EFL hive the go ahead”..... which they won't.
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runningout added 14:28 - Jun 1 If form is anything to go by we deserve to be relegated to League 2. It's not an understatement for us to there soon the way our club is being run. Big changes needed quick and a total attitude change from our players, and that's going to happen. NOT!!
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ITFCsince73 added 14:34 - Jun 1 Which beggars the question if those 6 clubs can't afford to finish the current season. How do they expect to start next season...
3

Michael101 added 14:52 - Jun 1 Waiting for the efl to make a decision. 2035 sounds about right.
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Wallingford_Boy added 15:12 - Jun 1 What a sad state of the game if the real reason we aren't finishing the season is because some clubs cannot afford to!! All the money being thrown around at the higher levels (TV money, wages, sponsorship, etc). Why can't someone step in and sort it out, ensure money is spread more evenly? Oh yeah, because noone cares outside the Prem.
3

ArnieM added 15:34 - Jun 1 On the contrary, Everyone outside of the premiership Does care about the game !..... its the MF's That make up the PL that don't give a shyte ..... “ closed shop”, all about the money , love of the money and to hell to with everyone else . This includes, the PLAYERS, MANAGERS, THE CLUBS, & AGENTS , oh, let's nots forget the the Pimp, SKY tv!
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Pencilpete added 15:43 - Jun 1 TWTD NEWS - 1ST JUNE 2037 ....The EFL clubs have had a meeting about a meeting about a meeting to look into the possibility of thinking about the idea of a restart.
4

Wallingford_Boy added 16:37 - Jun 1 ArnieM - cheeky boy! U knew exactly what I meant, noone cares about teams outside the Prem!
1

Bluearmy_81 added 16:52 - Jun 1 League one is an irrelevance. We are also rans in league1/div 3, therefore an irrelevance. And to think some fans had a party celebrating going down. Weirdest fans ever
0

Chris_Knights added 17:52 - Jun 1 This article proves how much ITFC management are out of touch with reality 1. They ain't going up and need to focus on 20/21.... cos according to lambert we will defo make up for this year disaster 2. Their opinion is irrelevant in the bigger picture ... we ain't at the top table and need to follow best advice which is to stop playing now .... though to be fair that's occurred since Evans has been in control 3. The longer I have to wait to go through the pain of going to Portman Road the better !! 4. Evans is an out of touch publicist and to be fair so in Lambert ... wait for the rallying cry next week ... support us into the play offs ... which actually means “come and watch the rubbish we have continued to serve up since 2010.. give us your hard earned cash and we'll do our best to waste it !!!”

4

dirtydingusmagee added 19:38 - Jun 1 we are we arent ,we will we wont, they might they might not ,it all depends ...........ffs .
2

Talbs77 added 19:41 - Jun 1 Is it just me or is this getting more farcical by the day! If the reason is financial due to no gate receipts if played behind closed doors what the hell will they do when next season comes along in August/September/Halloween/bloody Xmas as the situation with social distancing will be the same. Don't get me wrong I would rate towns 20% tops of making playoffs due to there own ineptitude and poor management but with the run in, players now fit etc you never know. It's completely wrong if the top 2 leagues in this country finish the season and the bottom two leagues fudge it due to so called financial reasons. It's just plain wrong.

3

EatonBlue added 21:01 - Jun 1 Play L1 and L2 seasons to a conclusion. If any clubs say they cannot afford to stage home games they should either concede home 'advantage' or forfeit the match.
0

Bert added 23:34 - Jun 1 There's erratic leadership in our country's Government so what hope is there that the EFL can make a decision. Any decision about football continuing has to be a common decision for all divisions and funded on the basis of a levy on all clubs in these extraordinary circumstances .It is time for the huge clubs to help the smaller ones for the sake of the game.
1

PortmanTerrorist added 23:36 - Jun 1 Am not sure why we should have a vote or make any comments given we have absolutely NOTHING to play for once more....oops i did just comment !
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Michael101 added 09:41 - Jun 2 News flash,they have come up with a plan they are going to use the rock ,paper ,scissors,method.😀😁😊
1

Michael101 added 09:46 - Jun 2 Wallford boy,many to up vote you but down voted in error sorry.
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Razor added 10:18 - Jun 2 Hey first League one is NOT an irrelevance-----lots of people work and play in it and have jobs in it. Suffolk Boy has borrowed my phrase-----where there is a will there IS a way and we must finish this season off with football ON THE PITCH if at all possibl Once again I will say that we will have a great chance if this is done,relatively easy fixture list,lots of games at home and hopefully a fully fit squad. BRING IT ON!!

1

supasmiler71 added 13:58 - Jun 2 IT'S TOO SOON! Irrelevant if people are now just bored or are missing their favourite sport. Things are largely no better now than they were when we went into lockdown! Families are still losing loved ones, the infection is still being spread. Football and sport in general should be nowhere near the top of priorities yet.
5

ITFCsince73 added 14:27 - Jun 2 Suggest you catch up on the latest news smiler....it's the 1st week in June now, not April.
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Eprblue added 16:25 - Jun 2 What a shambles the season should end now. It was evident after losses to Peterborough and Coventry we were not good enough to go up. Now we all need the mindset to regroup under Lambert and bless Marcus Evans for he continued support. We all need a reality check.
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supasmiler71 added 12:14 - Jun 3 Hi ITFCsince1973. Of course, you're right. Only 324 deaths announced yesterday, 2nd June, and an additional 1,613 new cases. All's good.
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