Covid strikes again as the Brewers’ trip to Hillsborough is postponed
But ALBION expecting THEIR Next TWO Home games TO go AHEAD
BURTON Albion are out of action on Boxing Day after their League One fixture away against Sheffield Wednesday was postponed.
The game at Hillsborough will be moved to a new date due to a number of positive Covid-19 cases in both teams’ squads.
Fans are asked to retain tickets for the game against the Owls until the new date is announced and refunds will then be issued to anyone unable to attend.
It means the Brewers have had two successive games called off due to Covid as their home match against MK Dons last Saturday was also postponed. A new date for that League One fixture has yet to be confirmed.
In yesterday’s announcement, the Brewers said the latest postponement does not affect their forthcoming home games against Bolton Wanderers on Wednesday, December 29 and Crewe Alexandra on Saturday, January 1.
Tickets are on sale for both these matches with the Brewers expecting them to go ahead as planned.
The postponement of the Brewers’ Boxing Day fixture was swiftly followed by another League One clash, with Wycombe Wanderers’ home match against Cambridge United on the same day also called off because of an outbreak at the Us.
Bolton’s League One home match against Morecambe on Boxing Day had already been postponed and Trotters manager Ian Evatt called for “common sense” to be exercised around the games that follow, including his side’s trip to face the Brewers.
“Following guidelines and protocol, we’d have the majority out of isolation for the 27th,” he said.
“The frustration on my part is that there has to be an element of common sense and fairness.
“You’re asking players to go straight into a game and it’s a real risk.”
And the former Derby County defender does not believe a twoweek ‘circuit-breaker’ suspension in the EFL would help, despite 18 players and staff – Evatt included – having tested positive for Covid-19.
“I don’t think it is the answer because there are no guarantees that clubs won’t have issues with Covid after that – it’s something I think we’re going to have to live with,” Evatt added.
On Tuesday, Brewers chairman Ben Robinson welcomed the EFL’S decision to continue their programme of games as scheduled and also insisted a “circuit-breaker” is not the solution.
While the EFL acknowledged there were likely to be several more future postponements, the governing body expressed “optimism that disruption can be minimised following implementation of red protocols, a daily testing regime and ongoing vaccination rollout.”
Robinson echoed those sentiments, telling the PA news agency: “We have had players who have tested positive for Covid but the players are being tested every day with the new protocols and the position has improved.
“This problem could still be with us for some time and we have to learn to live with it, learn to deal with it how we see best and having a break isn’t going to be the solution.
“I think we have to accept this will happen. People will get Covid, have to isolate and we need to try and continue our lives with as much normality as possible.”
Premier League clubs collectively agreed to continue the season on
Monday despite a season-high 90 positive Covid cases recorded last week which led to six out of 10 topflight matches due to be played last weekend being called off.
Today, the Premier League is hosting virtual managers’ and captains’ meetings to listen to their respective concerns.
Yesterday, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson said player welfare is not taken seriously in England.
“Football to us is everything and we want to be able to perform at the highest level every time we set foot on the pitch,” said Henderson.
“And unfortunately, in this period it is difficult to do that.
“That has been like this for a few years now and it has been difficult but then, on top of that, you chuck in
Covid and it becomes even harder and even worse.
“I think decisions get made – of course we want to play as footballers, we want to get out there and play – but I am worried about player welfare and I don’t think anybody does take that seriously enough, especially in this period, when Covid is here.
“We will try to have conversations in the background and try to have some sort of influence going forward.
“But at the minute I don’t feel the players get the respect they deserve in terms of having somebody being able to speak for them independently and having the power to say, actually, this isn’t right for player welfare.”