Doncaster Rovers squad won’t return to training until Thursday as workload adapts in coronavirus shutdown

The EFL have suspended their fixtures until the weekend of April 4 at their earliest in a bid to safeguard club staff and fans. Rovers boss Darren Moore handed his players the weekend off after it was confirmed the scheduled clash with AFC Wimbledon would not be going ahead.

With no matches now scheduled for almost three weeks, Moore and other senior Rovers officials took the decision to extend the break - both to give playing staff additional rest and time at home, as well as lengthening the period of time when they are not working in large groups.

But the players are under strict instructions to maintain their fitness levels in the meantime.

“What we have done is shut the training ground down until Thursday of this week,” Rovers chief executive Gavin Baldwin said. “And that is being overcautious.

“None of our players have shown any signs of having the virus whatsoever but we want to protect their health going forward. We appreciate it’s overcautious but we think it’s probably the best thing to do. Talking to the football manager, it gives the players a break, they’re at home, they’ve got training plans - they’ve not got their feet up, they’re not at Meadowhall. They will come back with targets of fitness they will be expected to achieve while they are off and that is in partnership with the manager.”

Meanwhile, loanee Ben Sheaf is in self-isolation following a visit to his parent club Arsenal where there have been reported cases of coronavirus. Sheaf has shown no symptoms himself but has followed advice to self-isolate as a precautionary measure after a visit to the London Colney training centre.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for coronavirus and, as a result, anyone he is in regular contact with was ordered to self-isolate. It is understood that Sheaf did not meet with Arteta, nor anyone else at Arsenal suspected of suffering from the virus.

Rovers chief executive Gavin Baldwin said: “Ben was at the Arsenal training ground last Tuesday. He’s gone into self-isolation, as have the rest of the players at Arsenal.”