Preston North End squad played at an empty Deepdale at the weekend

Lilywhites boss Alex Neil set-up an inter-squad match on Saturday.

It was designed for match fitness and to try and get the players used to the eerie atmosphere which will form the backdrop for games in the remainder of this season.

The campaign’s restart is less than a fortnight away, with North End due to resume at Luton on June 20.

So getting some game time into the players’ legs is key, so too familiarising them with football without fans.

The PNE squad got an hour’s action under their belts on Saturday, the game divided into 15-minute sections with a short break in between each.

It gave Neil the chance to run the rule over all the players currently available.

Tom Bayliss got a run-out which was a big step forward for him after injury.

The midfielder last played in January’s FA Cup defeat to Norwich, before damaging ankle ligaments in a bounce game a couple of weeks later.

Bayliss, 21, spent lockdown rehabilitating after surgery and was hopeful of resuming training soon after the squad were allowed to return.

For the practice match, North End were without two players who are self-isolating after positive Covid-19 test.

One of them is Jayden Stockley, with the other not named by PNE because of medical confidentiality.

Stockley’s isolation period is now up and he should be back in training early this week. The second player is due back in a few days’ time.

As far as the plans for resuming the season are concerned, this week is set to be a big one.

Championship clubs are due to get the fixture schedule confirmed.

While the fixtures will follow the same order they were initially in, kick-off times are to vary depending on how the games are to be broadcast.

At weekends, there will be 6pm and 8pm kick-offs on a Friday with games taking place at 12.30pm, 3pm and 5.30pm on a Saturday and just the one slot of 12pm on a Sunday.

Midweek games will take place on either a Tuesday or a Wednesday with kick-offs at 5pm, 6pm and 8pm each day.

Tomorrow, EFL clubs will vote on a number of matters, including how Leagues One and Two will finish the season.

All 71 EFL clubs get a vote on allowing the EFL board to make rule changes, such as how league positions are worked out if the season is curtailed.

A decision will be taken over whether to allow five substitutions and have nine players on the bench in Championship games.