Gillingham expect a clearer picture by the end of this week

Gillingham will hope to have a clearer picture of the way this season is heading by the end of the week.

The EFL were set to hold a board meeting yesterday (Wednesday) and were then expected to put some scenarios to their members, ahead of a meeting of clubs’ hierarchy today (Thursday).

Clubs will get to discuss between themselves different scenarios, including scrapping the league, or the possibility of continuing at some point in the future. The government said this week that professional sport in England could resume from June 1, but no earlier.

All will be dependent on testing procedures being in place but as yet the players have not been given the green light to return to training. Gillingham have already put in place measures where they can do social distance training. Gills boss Steve Evans wants to finish the season but knows it may not happen.

He said: “A lot of the clubs want to finish the games, we do, two of of my former clubs do, Leeds and Peterborough, yet I have spoken to five or six managers recently in League 1 and their chairman or board are saying they want it finished now.

“It won’t be an instant decision, but we should have a lot more clarity by the weekend, saying that, I am reading a lot of stuff from the Premier League, players are saying they are not ready to be back on Monday. They have concerns.”

Evans added: “My views change all the time and obviously we want to finish the season but one thing remains paramount, at the front of my mind, yes football is important. I know (former

Liverpool manager) Bill Shankly said football is more serious than life or death. He came from a few miles away from where I came from, but that was a tongue in cheek comment.

“We are dealing with fit young men aren’t we?

Their resistance to this has been remarkable, not just footballers but through that age profile, but there are a lot of other people associated with the coaching staff at clubs who are a lot older and not as fit as these boys. It is a huge decision. I have always said, whatever decision is implemented, then I will carry out those instructions.

“I am ready to go back, simple. There would be apprehension, for every one of my players and my staff, even to Paul Raynor (Gills’ assistant manager), to them all I am probably like a father figure, certainly to all my players. “We have got plans to start off with social distance training. Myself and (fitness coach) James Russell have spent many hours on it. James has done a lot of work on it, he is fantastic and he deserves credit.

“They could have their board meeting and these conference chats on Thursday and Friday and it could be bang, we are back in Monday. We are all ready to go and plans are in place but there will be a lot of apprehension around every football club, but that is all the way through the world.

“If you work in a shop and you are told you are coming back when you have been keeping safe, keeping your family safe and done what we have done, having totally respected the social distance, then you would be apprehensive if people are suddenly walking into your shop.”