EFL confirm a League One match is suspended

The EFL confirm late on Thursday night that a League One match is suspended due to members of one team testing positive for coronavirus.

This weekend’s Sky Bet League One fixture between Accrington Stanley and Bristol Rovers has been suspended and will not take place on Saturday as scheduled.

Due to the number of positive cases of COVID-19 within the Accrington Stanley squad and the requirement for players and staff to subsequently self-isolate as per EFL and Government guidance, the Club has advised the EFL it is unable to safely fulfil this weekend’s fixture.

The circumstances surrounding the postponement will now be the subject of investigation in accordance with EFL Regulations.

A revised date for the rearranged fixture will be confirmed in due course.

For more details:https://t.co/0lYyisgepD

— Accrington Stanley FC (@ASFCofficial) October 22, 2020

ACCRINGTON STATEMENT:

This weekend’s Sky Bet League One fixture between Accrington Stanley and Bristol Rovers has been suspended and will not take place on Saturday as scheduled.

Due to the number of positive cases of COVID-19 within the Accrington Stanley squad and the requirement for players and staff to subsequently self-isolate as per EFL and Government guidance, the club has advised the EFL it is unable to safely fulfil this weekend’s fixture.

Eight Stanley players have tested positive and are self-isolating, a member of staff has tested positive while another member of staff is already self-isolating.

The circumstances surrounding the postponement will now be the subject of investigation in accordance with EFL Regulations.

A revised date for the rearranged fixture will be confirmed in due course.

Further details to follow tomorrow.

— STATEMENT ENDS —

A National League side have decided to pull out of the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round, in what’s becoming a familiar but sad sight this year.

Two more Notts County players have tested positive for the coronavirus and as a result they have withdrawn from the Emirates FA Cup.

This means that they have postponed their upcoming National League matches away to FC Halifax Town and Aldershot Town, as well as their FA Cup tie away to King’s Lynn Town.

CLUB STATEMENT

Two more of our players have tested positive for Covid-19 and as a result we have withdrawn from the Emirates FA Cup and postponed our upcoming Vanarama National League matches away to FC Halifax Town and Aldershot Town.

After four members of our squad tested positive for the virus last week, we scheduled another round of testing this Wednesday to identify any further infections.

Unfortunately this has resulted in two more positive results and, following consultation with the FA and National League’s medical officers, we have taken the difficult but responsible decision not to travel to King’s Lynn Town on Saturday and to temporarily halt our league campaign.

King’s Lynn will be awarded a bye to the first round and our trips to Halifax and Aldershot will be rearranged for later in the season. We would like to thank each club for their cooperation and understanding.

Our chief executive Jason Turner said: “Our thoughts are with the players affected by the virus, who are all receiving the best possible care and support to ensure they return to us safe and well.

“Naturally, we are incredibly disappointed to withdraw from the FA Cup – a competition, as past winners, we have a wonderful association with – but with only 14 available players and several positions we’re now unable to cover, on top of the clear risk of more infections coming to light in the coming days, it is only right that we take decisive action to cease training and playing for the time being.

“I am hugely proud of the way the club has conducted itself throughout the pandemic and would once again like to pay tribute to our owners, Chris and Alex Reedtz, for continuing to fund regular testing despite this not being mandatory, thus ensuring we are doing all we can to protect our players, staff and the wider public.

“Chris and Alex’s diligence has drawn huge praise from the authorities and allowed us to take informed decisions since the outbreak in March. With some of our infected players not displaying symptoms, our efforts have probably prevented us from unknowingly and irresponsibly spreading the virus to any of our aforementioned opponents.

“With no matches now scheduled until our home fixture against Stockport County on Wednesday 11 November, our focus is on minimising a further outbreak within the club, devising a return-to-play protocol for our affected players and helping our fit players maintain their conditioning remotely to ensure we’re ready to continue our strong start to the season next month.”

Our manager, Neal Ardley, added: “While I’m devastated that I won’t have the opportunity to put together a cup run for the club this season, the safety of my players, staff, the opposition and their families have to be the priority at this terrible time.

“As we’re all aware, it’s taken some people many months to recover from this illness and we therefore need to tread very carefully when it comes to rehabilitating our affected players.

“This is a new situation for everyone and I’m in close dialogue with our medical department to ensure we have careful and considered procedures in place.

“I’m hugely proud to represent a club that cares so strongly about its employees and community and I would like to join Jason in thanking our owners for their unwavering commitment to our safety.”

Meanwhile, Barnet’s FA Cup tie against Leiston is still set to go ahead despite 9 players and manager Peter Beadle missing the game due to Covid-19.