Clean bill of health for Robins in opening tests
CHELTENHAM Town are the only club of the four gearing up for the Sky Bet League Two play-offs who recorded no positive results in the first round of coronavirus testing last week.
Four members of staff or players have tested positive at Colchester, along with two at Exeter and one member of staff at Northampton, confirmed as their physiotherapist Ignacio Herrando.
Cheltenham are due to play the Cobblers over two legs in the semifinals, with the second leg at home.
The final is set to be played at Wembley before the end of June, with all play-off matches taking place behind closed doors.
In line with the latest EFL protocol surrounding a return to training, all seven individuals affected from the three clubs will now self-isolate at home for the next seven days.
They will then undergo strict monitoring procedures, including the need for a negative test, before they can return to their respective training ground.
Robins players and staff underwent their testing in the Whaddon
Road car park on Friday. A statement issued by the club said: “It has been confirmed that Cheltenham Town had zero players test positive for Covid-19.”
The players were due to return to training yesterday.
The Robins statement added: “The EFL will continue to make regular and relevant announcements as appropriate in respect of the testing programme to support competition integrity and transparency.”
The EFL confirmed: “Following an initial round of Covid-19 testing, the EFL can confirm that 135 players and club staff were tested from four
League Two clubs over the course of Thursday, May 28 and Friday, May 29, with seven individuals testing positive from three clubs.”
Odion Ighalo is staying with Manchester United after the club agreed a loan extension with Shanghai Shenhua until January.
Eyebrows were raised when the former Watford striker made his deadline day switch from the Chinese Super League side five months ago, but the 30-year-old made an impression at Old Trafford.
Ighalo scored four goals in eight matches for the club that he has supported since childhood.