BBC Radio Stoke Sport

Michael O'Neill has had to get creative to keep Stoke City's training sessions within the social distancing guidelines.

The players have been working in small groups and doing technical drills or fitness drills, but he said they haven't been able to work on tactics or team shape.

Image source, Getty Images

O'Neill also said: "Overall we've been pleased with the week and obviously the weather has helped as well."

Watford captain Troy Deeney says people told him they wished his baby son would contract coronavirus after he chose not to return to training.

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

The West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust, external is hosting Clap for the Club at the Vicarage Road stadium on Friday to thank Watford FC for its "kindness and generosity" in looking after NHS staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

Image source, West Herts Hospitals Trust

The Premier League club opened its doors to trust staff, many of whom are based at the neighbouring Watford General Hospital, and provided bedrooms, counselling and meeting rooms, and food and drink halls, with the club providing 1,000 free meals and washing 1,000 pairs of scrubs every day.

"We want to say thank you to our lovely neighbours and all the WFC staff who volunteered their time to look after our staff and help them relax and recuperate," the trust said.

It has asked any staff who can to head to the Rookery stand at 14:10 and be seated by 14:25.

Image source, West Herts Hospitals Trust

The hot food service ends on Friday but the club’s doors will remain open for NHS staff for the next few months.

The maternity service will also continue to run newborn hearing screening and antenatal clinics at the club until the end of August.

Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes says he believes it is "very safe" for players to be training because of the precautions taken by the Premier League and clubs.

Stoke City and Wales striker Sam Vokes tells BBC Radio 5 Live about returning to training – an experience he describes as “strange”.

Captain Liam Cooper says Leeds' players were "buzzing" as Championship clubs were allowed to resume training on Monday.

For mental health awareness week, we asked rival football fans to let their guard down and be kind to their rival team - or at least as kind as they could.

Watford boss Nigel Pearson says he would want his players to have six weeks of training before any Premier League resumption.

BBC Sport

Watford defender Adrian Mariappa has said he is one of three people who tested positive for coronavirus at the club.

On Tuesday, it was announced there had been six positive tests across three Premier League clubs and the club said it would not be naming the three involved due to "medical confidentiality".

Image source, Getty Images

But Jamaica international Mariappa, 33, told the Telegraph, external it was "a big surprise" that he tested positive because he had no symptoms and felt "as fit as ever".

"If it wasn't for the fact I had gone back to training and had this test, then I'd never have found out that I had the virus and I would just be getting on with things as normal," he said.

Two other staff at Watford and Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan also tested positive, while the two others at a third club have not yet been revealed.

Watford's Adrian Mariappa tests positive for coronavirus; while Chelsea's N'Golo Kante misses training over fears.

One player and two staff at Watford and Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan are among six positive tests for coronavirus.

Former Wales international Alan Durban won the title with Brian Clough and played with and against many of football's finest - and he even took on James Bond.

Katy Lewis
BBC News Online

Watford FC has said its training ground is "virus-free and safe" after it was revealed the club was one of three Premier League clubs where staff had tested positive for coronavirus.

There have been six positive tests across the Premier League clubs.

One player and two staff at Watford accounted for three of them after testing was carried out at their London Colney training ground over the past 48 hours.

Image source, Reuters

The club said , externalit would not be naming those involved as they had asked for medical confidentiality.

They will now self-isolate for seven days, in line with the Premier League protocols before being tested again at a later date, a statement said.

"Strict adherence to the Premier League guidelines has ensured the training ground remains virus-free and a safe environment for the players to continue to work," it said.

"The club will continue to liaise closely with the affected personnel and there will be no further comment."

Burnley assistant manager Ian Woan is another who tested positive and the other two are at a third club, the details of which have not been revealed.

Watford captain Troy Deeney says he will not return to training with the club because he fears for his family's health amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Pete Cooper
BBC News

Premier League clubs have agreed to stage one of the return to training protocols which allows teams to start training in small groups from Tuesday.

Clubs voted unanimously on the decision at Monday's "Project Restart" meeting.

Players must observe social distancing rules, and contact training is not permitted.

Norwich City published the Premier League's statement on their website, external which said: "The health and wellbeing of all participants is the Premier League's priority, and the safe return to training is a step-by-step process."

Watford simply tweeted a picture of their training ground with the words "back soon".

Watford and Norwich captains Troy Deeney and Grant Hanley have raised concerns about the Premier League's plan to return.

Chef and friend to footballers, Jonny Marsh, whips up a Thai green curry, cooked just the way Watford's Troy Deeney likes it.

For the past few months, a football club has been turned into a sanctuary to help front line workers, relax, eat and sleep.

Watford Football Club, which is close to Watford General Hospital, has opened by Vicarge Road to key workers.

West Herts Hospitals said its staff are being treated to "first class service" from crews from "a variety of airlines" who are "providing a warm welcome whilst serving drinks and snacks, enabling staff to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the Sanctuary".

Image source, West Herts Hospitals

Dan Roan
BBC Sports editor

Measures to allow safe training for Premier League football teams, like Watford and Norwich City, have been revealed.

Image source, Getty Images

Tackling will be banned, pitches disinfected and players restricted to groups of five when the Premier League starts a first phase of team training.

Official protocols sent to players and managers on Tuesday and obtained by the BBC reveal that social distancing must be "strictly observed".

The BBC understands the Professional Footballers' Association has heard from a number of players, including those who have underlying health conditions like asthma or who are from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, that they have real concerns about returning to playing.

According to the Office for National Statistics, BAME people are twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as white people, and a group of public figures and the Labour Party have both called for a public inquiry to find out why.

Watford become the third team to publicly oppose the use of neutral venues when Premier League football returns.