Josh Harrop happy with the way Preston North End are shaping up

North End started contact training on Tuesday after a week of working in small groups, that a stride forward in the build-up.

It has not been a case, though, of them dropping their guard in terms of safety and distancing.

Harrop said: “The coaching staff have been really good with us and we are still in tune about keeping our distance.

“The gaffer, Frankie McAvoy, Thommo (Steve Thompson) are always on to us about making sure we do the right things.

“If we are doing ball drills we can still keep our distance.

“I think it is going to be like that until things get back to normal so we need to get used to it.

“We’ve not been thrown into anything in terms of people being worried.

“If we have needed to say something or are unsure about something, the staff have asked us to speak up and voice our opinion.”

Harrop and his Preston team-mates are building towards a resumption of the season two weeks today.

They are set to restart at Luton, with dates and kick-off times for the remaining games due out next week. It is a much different routine for the PNE squad since they returned to training.

Said Harrop: “You wash your own training kit so you turn up wearing it.

“Our temperature is taken on the door when we arrive and then we’ve all got our own ‘block’ where we leave a drinks bottle and pick up a GPS monitor.

“You put you boots on and go straight on to the training pitch. You train and then go home, it’s pretty much an in-and-out job.

“We are not allowed inside, we can’t go into the gym.

“If you want to do pre-hab you get in early and do the work in your own space.

“Everything is well spaced out, a lot of thought has gone into it.

“After being at home for so long it’s been nice to see 
the lads and have a bit of banter even if you don’t get too close.

“Everyone seems all right and eager to get on, we have been cracking on with things.

“I’m just buzzing to be playing football again.

“During the lockdown I did a lot of running and the weights work but I missed the actual football work.

“I brought a little set of football nets for the garden and a footy-tennis set just so I could kick and head a football again.

“All the fitness work has been pretty much been done, now it is about getting ready for the games.”