Premier League to consult players as restart meeting ends in 'no decision'

Four-hour meeting resulted in 'no decision' being made over continuation of Premier League

The Premier League is going to discuss the possibility of restarting matches with clubs. Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

A four-hour meeting over restarting England's Premier League ended in "no decision" being made on Friday.

The season has been on hold since March 9 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite no date being set on when it could resume, it was decided that the Premier League will consult with club managers and players over Project Restart.

The league held a conference call of 20 top-flight clubs and swapped ideas on the possible plans for resuming training and eventually a return to playing matches.

"No decisions were taken at today’s shareholders’ meeting and clubs exchanged views on the information provided regarding Project Restart," the Premier League said in a statement.

"It was agreed that the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association), LMA (League Managers Association), players and managers are key to this process and will be further consulted.

"The clubs reconfirmed their commitment to finishing the 2019/20 season, maintaining integrity of the competition and welcomed the Government’s support," it added.

"The League and clubs are considering the first tentative moves forward and will only return to training and playing with Government guidance, under expert medical advice and after consultation with players and managers," he said.

The first step for any move forward will be the UK government's review of lockdown restrictions due on May 7.

The cabinet minister responsible for sport, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, held the first formal meeting of a cross-sports body on Friday which has been set up to examine the practicalities of resuming professional sport.

"I know (Britons) desperately want sport back on," Dowden wrote on Twitter.

"We just kicked off the first of many detailed meetings to plan for a safe return of elite sport behind closed doors when, and only when, it is safe to do so on the basis of expert medical advice. Lots to consider, but today we step up planning."

English cricket's governing body, the ECB, has been charged with leading the planning effort for all sports and is looking at ways to play sport behind closed-doors in 'bio-secure' venues.

"We held an initial, constructive meeting with medical representatives from a number of professional and elite sports bodies, government and PHE (Public Health England) to step up planning on what may need to be done so that athletes could return to training, when it is deemed safe to do so," a spokesperson for the Departure of Culture Media and Sports said.

"This would be ahead of any return to competitive top-level sport which would only happen when medical experts advise that this can be done safely. Discussions with the sports bodies will continue on this."

The Premier League will have to consider what emergency services want, with the police suggesting neutral venues. One concern, if clubs used their own grounds, would be that fans could congregate outside them, creating a health risk near the stadium, even if it is safe within it.

Football was halted when Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for the Covid-19 virus and clubs are likely to seek reassurances over the safety of players and staff.