Dons players given until Thursday off work

The players and coaching staff at MK Dons will not return to work until Thursday after the EFL postponed games until April 3.

Following Friday's decision to halt all football for three weeks, the players were given time off to recover from a hectic start to 2020.

Football is scheduled to return on April 4, with Dons hosting Fleetwood Town at Stadium MK on that date and though it may or may not happen, Executive Director Andrew Cullen said the players have to prepare as though it will kick off as usual.

He said: "With the three week break, the players will be off until Thursday, they will come back in and we will prepare for that game.

"We have to take every precaution because as far as we're concerned, the season will kick off again on April 4 and we have to be ready for Fleetwood Town.

"The players are being told if they feel anything like a cold, report it to the physio before coming to work and we can give them the appropriate advice. It's inevitable at every football club that someone is going to get it because if 80 per cent of the country will get it, footballers aren't exempt."

The EFL performed a dramatic U-turn on Friday when they postponed the game, having just a day earlier said games at the weekend would be going ahead. With the call coming late in terms of matchday preparations for club hosting games, Mr Cullen said Dons had a plan in place should football be postponed.

He added: "We had a crisis plan in place should football be cancelled. It is very difficult times, and our overriding concerns is that while football is great and brings people together, but at times like this, the health and well-being of everybody must come first."