EPL Training Returns As 'UK League' Ends Season

 

The English Premier League (EPL) has approved a small-group training from tomorrow, Tuesday, AllNews understands.

Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to return to small-group training from tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday), the first step towards restarting the Premier League, when safe to do so.

Amid strict medical protocols, step one of the return to training protocol enables squads to train while maintaining social distancing. Contact training is not yet permitted.

This first stage has been agreed in consultation with players, managers, Premier League club doctors, independent experts, and the Government.

A full consultation will now continue with players, managers, clubs, the PFA, and LMA as protocols for full-contact training are developed.

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In related news, in another part of the United Kingdom (UK), the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) has ended the season and confirmed Celtic as Scottish champions for the ninth season in a row, while Hearts have been relegated.

The decision was taken at a board meeting today after the 12 clubs agreed at the end of last week that completing the campaign was unfeasible.

Average points per game played has been used to determine final placings.

The only change to the table from when football was halted on 13 March is that St Johnstone go sixth, above Hibernian.

Celtic were 13 points ahead of nearest challengers Rangers - having played a game more - when the season was halted. Like most teams in the division, Neil Lennon's side still had eight games to play.

Hearts were four adrift of Hamilton Academical at the bottom with a possible 24 points available.

However, the Tynecastle club do hold slim hopes of a reprieve after chair Ann Budge was given approval to work on a proposal for temporary league reconstruction, which would involve expanding the top flight.

SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan congratulated Celtic commiserated with Hearts and said the league were left with "no realistic option but to call" the season.

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster added the "clear and unanimous view" of the club was that the games could not be played and that the league can now pay out around £7m of prize money immediately.

"The focus will now turn to how we get football up and running again safely as soon as possible," he said.

"Nobody should be under any illusion as to how complicated and difficult a challenge it will be to return Scottish football to normality."

The decision was taken by the SPFL board after a controversial April vote - backed by 81% of clubs - granted them the power to do so should they deem the 49 outstanding games unplayable.

Football at all levels in Scotland is suspended until at least 10 June and UEFA had asked associations to either declare their season or layout their resumption plans by 25 May.