Cobblers players could be tested three times a week when training returns

Cobblers players may need to be tested for coronavirus up to three times a week if and when they return to training ahead of the Sky Bet League Two play-offs.

While the regular season is set to end for the majority of clubs in League Two, Northampton, Exeter, Cheltenham and Colchester will soon be back in training in preparation for the play-offs.

With at least two weeks required for training and then another 10 days needed to complete the play-offs, players will need to be regularly tested for coronavirus to uphold strict health and safety guidelines.

Any player who tests positive for the virus would need to be quarantined for at least seven days under Public Health England guidelines, though it is not yet known whether or not the rest of the squad will also have to self-isolate.

"We've received quite a substantial document from the EFL on the testing protocol as things stand right now in terms of testing and the what will need to happen," said Cobblers chairman Kelvin Thomas.

"James (Whiting) has been going through that with the medical team, the club doctor and the staff to ensure that we'll be following those guidelines and maybe taking it a step further in some areas to ensure the safety of the players and their families and all of the staff that will need to be involved in this process.

"It'll be an expensive process and there'll be a lot of hard work from people behind the scenes.

"On the testing, it'll probably be at least twice a week and then before a game so you could be looking at three times a week and I think they'll also have to be temperature tested every day and there'll be regular questionnaires to find out how everyone is feeling.

"We tend to do that anyway as a club with some of the psychological stuff we do so it'll be a lot of work and there'll be a lot of making sure that the players are in a safe enirovnment to go out and ply their trade on the football pitch."