Doncaster Rovers set to play on despite new lockdown in England

The government has confirmed that elite athletes will be among those individuals given exemption from the latest lockdown regulations, allowing them to train and compete.

The classification of ‘elite sport’ covers the English football pyramid down to National League North/South level.

Rovers are due to return to training on Tuesday at the conclusion of the squad’s period of self-isolation following the outbreak of Covid-19 at the club. Extra restrictions have been put in place to control training and hopefully prevent another outbreak.

They are scheduled to be back in competitive action with Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Blackburn Rovers, but will first be put through a round of coronavirus testing, which is compulsory at this stage of the competition.

A full round of testing is understood to have been ordered across the EFL to gauge the situation with numerous clubs having been hit by outbreaks of Covid-19 in the last few weeks.

There are growing calls for a break in competition but so far there has been little indication from the sport’s governing bodies to suggest that may happen.

With lockdown set to run until mid-February at the latest, it sees hope for the return of supporters to the Keepmoat at some point this season diminished further.

That will prove to be a further blow to club finances which have lacked the main income stream of matchday revenues for the last ten months.

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