Preston preparing to re-open their Springfields Training Ground

The Lilywhites hope to start training again a week on Sunday (May 16) but will follow advice on that.

When the squad do come back they will be restricted to the outdoor pitches.

Treatment of injuries will be done inside but only on an appointment basis.

Such procedures are to help social distance measures stay in place.

Peter Ridsdale, North End’s advisor, told the Lancashire Post: “The idea is that the players arrive in their training gear, train, go home and wash their kit.

“We will provide them with food to take home so that they are sticking to the required diet.

“They won’t be going indoors to the dressing rooms or the gym to work out.

“The only use of the building is for treatment.

“Our physio Matt Jackson is going to have the treatment beds positioned in the gym which is a bigger space.

“Players needing treatment will agree appointment times with the physio so they are there one at a time.

“We don’t envisage it being like this forever but for now these are sensible steps to put in place.

“There’s plenty of space on the pitches in the fresh air to train and work.”

Some Premier League clubs have opened their training grounds over the last couple of weeks for players to train individually.

That hasn’t happened in the EFL, with clubs having been advised last month not to start training until May 16.

The advice was that date was ‘at the earliest’ so nothing is set in stone as yet.

With an eye on that possible return date, the PNE squad have been stepping-up the intensity of their fitness work at home.

They were told to ease off it around the Easter period to get some rest.

It is two months since the Lilywhites last played, that the 3-1 defeat to QPR at Deepdale.

The players trained the following week in anticipation of playing Luton on March 14.

However, the season was suspended the day before the visit to Kenilworth Road.

The EFL’s stance continues to be to play the season to a finish in a 56-day period from early June.

That might be possible in the Championship but there are doubts about the season being completed in Leagues One and Two.

The EFL are likely to have to fall in line with what the Premier League intend doing in terms of a restart date.

But they do need a little longer to finish the season than the top flight do, because of the play-offs.