Gillingham are set to return to the training ground today after a weekend firebreak.

The squad was hit with Covid last week, leading to the weekend game against Crewe being postponed and the stadium closed. All players were sent home on Thursday.

Those not impacted by the virus are due to be back training today (Monday) in preparation for the visit of Ipswich Town on Boxing Day.

Boss Steve Evans is remaining optimistic that game will go ahead.

He said: “We need to be focused and ready and have it in our heads it will take place.”

The EFL have said teams will be expected to play if they have 14 fit players, including a goalkeeper.

“If it is safe to play, we should play football,” said Gills boss Evans.

“The one thing my chairman and myself were in total unity was that we want football to continue.

“We want our fixtures to continue, our chairman has to get revenue from somewhere, because nobody is coming out the cloud to fund the football club and he is on his own but like the other owners who I have worked with, the health of the people comes first.”

The Football League (EFL) are encouraging all players to get vaccinated against coronavirus.

There were 19 games off in the EFL at the weekend, along with many in the Premier League and across the non-league scene.

Enhanced training ground protocols and increased testing among players will now be taking place amid a rapid rise across the UK in Covid cases.

Gillingham’s game against Crewe was postponed following positive cases among players and club staff and chairman Paul Scally later admitted he was shocked at the lack of his own personnel who hadn’t been vaccinated.

The latest data from the EFL showed that 25% of players don’t intend to get a vaccine.

Medical advisor to the EFL, Dr Richard Higgins, said: “We know that getting double jabbed and boosted now will reduce the risk of getting seriously ill or dying from Covid-19, reduce the risk of catching or spreading Covid-19 amongst team-mates and loved ones, while helping protect against Covid-19 variants including Omicron.”

Speaking about the Covid crisis at the Gills, boss Steve Evans said: “We are not alone as a football club but we have probably endured it a lot more than any other club in the EFL, 25 days off away from the football in the summer because of Covid. You think you have come through the worst of it.

“The medical staff, who are brilliant, separated the boys (who tested positive), got them away and I spoke to the chairman who was rightfully concerned about one or two other people, maybe more in the building and of course we have the school in close proximity, not only the teachers but some very gifted and beautiful children and they shouldn’t be exposed.

“The chairman made the decision to clear the building (on Thursday) and that was hard as we had eight or nine who were training and they went away but the health comes first.

“We went away to try and have a firebreak and we will go back to work with the players who can come in to work and the others will follow the protocol (before they can return).

“We have to endure it but I don’t think we will be alone in football, this Omicron virus will be around certainly for three or four weeks, in a big way.”

Priestfield offices will reopen today (Monday) but the club have warned that reduced staff levels mean it may take longer for phones to be answered.

Following the weekend fixtures the Gills are now five points adrift of those positions outside of the relegation places, just a game short of the halfway mark in their season. Gillingham follow their Boxing Day match with a trip to Charlton on Wednesday, December 29 and MK Dons on New Year's Day.