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

ITFCsince73 added 15:48 - Jun 3 Yes Smiler. They call it the weekend lag in reporting. Life needs to return to normal at some time. We're actually at a stage now where daily excess deaths are lower than average, against previous years. The country now needs to reopen, whilst something is there to reopen. Stay safe.
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supasmiler71 added 22:50 - Jun 3 Hi again ITFC. Yes of course we need to reopen at some time, but not just because it's been going on for a while, only when the numbers allow. As for your daily excess deaths comment, I must respectfully correct you, daily excess deaths means, by it's very definition, the number of deaths above and beyond the historic average, so every one of these deaths is on top of what the corresponding average is for whatever period you are talking about. Oh, and the weekend lag usually happens on or immediately after the weekend, not the Tuesday. Anyway, I'm sure that what we both agree on is that it needs to be safe to reopen whatever it is that is being reopened or restarted. Cases, deaths and the reproductive rate of the virus are all significantly higher in the midlands and north currently than in the south, yet the reopenings are nationwide. Perhaps it could have been looked at on a region by region basis, I don't know. I'm in the north east where the numbers are still pretty scary. I guess however things pan out, we all need to do what we can to stay safe, for our own sake and for others. Take care and stay safe.

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ITFCsince73 added 15:34 - Jun 4 Smiler. Not sure what news source you use?? Or do you prefer to promote fear... Daily death rates from Covid are at a 10 week low. By the end of this month, more people will die on a daily basis by tripping over there shoe lace. The number 1 killer in this country once again is cancer, closely followed by heart issues. On that basis maybe best if football restarts as a walking sport, and only played in cloudy conditions.

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supasmiler71 added 22:55 - Jun 4 Ok, then we must agree to disagree. I won't patronise you by saying “stay safe”, as it seems there is nothing to stay safe from where you are apparently, so I simply wish you good evening, and up the blues!
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