The fight Sheffield United and other Premier League clubs simply must win

The news that housebuilders, factory owners and an array of other sectors are preparing to resume operations following six weeks in lockdown was welcomed by a huge swathe of the general public and social commentators alike. It was a reminder that if one thing is guaranteed to kill more than this respiratory disease then it’s poverty.

Taxes, not charity, ultimately pays for the NHS. Those on the frontline, including doctors, nurses, the police, public transport staff and care workers, require a healthy economy to keep the country running.

Strangely, sadly, the Premier League efforts to resume competition has not been greeted the same way. It can only be because those criticising its decision to embark upon ‘Project Restart’ either haven’t read the small print or, given the ill-feeling which surrounds what top-flight players get paid, they are searching for another stick to beat them with.

Football pumps more into the country’s coffers than many of the internet shopping giants. And it provides jobs for thousands of backroom and support staff. Not to mention generates revenue for pubs, cafes and hotels. In short, the national game isn’t just a sport. It is an essential part of life for millions of people.

On Thursday, when government begins putting more flesh on the bones of its plan to begin easing social distancing restrictions, representatives of England’s leading 20 clubs will be listening closely. Many have already resumed training, albeit on a limited basis, after the PL, with the tacit approval of senior politicians, began talking about a return to action next month.

In order to complete this season’s fixture calendar, which has been suspended for the past 53 days, matches are set to take place behind closed doors and be staged at approved neutral venues; an idea which is understood to grate with some of those towards the bottom of the table.

“At a meeting of Premier League shareholders...clubs discussed possible steps towards planning to resume the 2019/20 season, when it is safe and appropriate to do so,” a statement, issued following a meeting last week, read. “It was reiterated that the thoughts of all are with those directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Fears have been expressed about what might happen if, should the campaign be revived as scheduled, a player is then diagnosed with the virus which has so far claimed more than 250,000 lives worldwide. Some club doctors are reportedly worried about their insurance liability should that occur while Manchester City centre-forward Sergio Aguero and former Watford striker Marvin Sordell are known to be worried about the consequences of competing in June.

But until a vaccine is discovered, Covid-19 will unfortunately be a part of life for the foreseeable future. So would, let’s say for example, a High Street chain be forced to close one of its superstores again if a security guard is diagnosed in October? If the answer is ‘yes’, then the PL must draw a line under the campaign and also postpone the next one. But if it is ‘no’, it seems unfair to demand football adheres to a higher set of standards than other industries.

Steps must be taken, as the PL acknowledges, to protect those under its jurisdiction with stringent testing and hygiene protocols already being drawn up during consultations with health experts. However, it must also be remembered that folk can contract Covid-19 during a trip to refuel their car or purchase essential items for themselves or their families.

Talks between the PL and the Professional Footballers’ Association will ultimately decide Project Restart’s fate. Union members are expected to be canvassed for their opinions on the scheme over the course of the next few days and, although no individual should be compelled to return until they feel safe to do so, if enough positive responses are received then it can press ahead. However, if the reaction is overwhelmingly negative, then fulfilling the schedule becomes impossible.

At Sheffield United, who were seventh in the table and preparing for an FA Cup quarter-final against Arsenal when the season was mothballed, it is believed the majority of Chris Wilder’s squad are in favour. But they must still ask the appropriate questions during their talks with Bramall Lane’s hierarchy. For instance, will they be required to quarantine in a hotel while they play their remaining games? If so, what provisions are going to be made for their wives, partners and dependents? Essentially, it boils down to a matter of trust. Providing, of course, Downing Street gives the go ahead.

Wilder, the United manager, has spoken in detail about the role the game plays in local communities and the “boost” its return would provide to the nation’s morale.

“Folk are proud of their clubs,” he said recently. “Look at our region, where we’ve got some wonderful ones, and I’m not just talking about Sheffield. I’m talking about Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley and Chesterfield too. Plus all the teams lower down the pyramid in non-league.”

Football might not be the priority. But those who benefit from United’s community programme - which performs vital work with vulnerable, isolated and disadvantaged people - those employed in their ticket office and retail outlets or by the nearby hostelries who are feeling the pinch are bound to take issue with suggestions its return should not be on the agenda either.

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