A footballer who was told he had coronavirus insists he put nobody at risk when eating at a Gillingham pub.

Sean Raggett, who was born and raised in the town, received a call while dining out at The Star and was told a test for Covid-19 had come back positive.

A national newspaper story suggested he had put others at risk but he insists that wasn’t the case, as he would have caught the virus 18 days previously, when his team played Arsenal in the FA Cup.

His club Portsmouth carried out tests once the news came out that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had the virus. Those were conducted on Tuesday but Raggett had already shut himself away just in case.

It was only once he had been given the all-clear by the club doctor, following advice from Public Health England, that he could no longer be a carrier, that he paid a visit to Gillingham and went out with friends.

His test finally came back while out eating. He is one of four players from Portsmouth to have tested positive and the League 1 club are awaiting news of another 10 possible cases.

Raggett, who played for the Gills as a junior and starred for non-league Dover Athletic, said: “I was in the pub when I found out but I had already been told that because I had self isolated for the previous seven days that I would no longer be carrying the virus, that I was well and anyone in there was fine.

“The Portsmouth doctor spoke to Public Health England and they said I no longer required to self isolate. Anyone there (in the pub) was completely fine. I wouldn’t have passed anything on.

“By the time I got the results I had been clear of it.”

The 26-year-old said he didn’t feel any symptoms and returned to Portsmouth, where he plays on loan from Norwich City.

Team-mates James Bolton, Andy Cannon and Haji Mnoga were also infected. Professional football in England is currently suspended until the end of April, at the earliest.

Gillingham players are training away from the club, with their own individual fitness plans and this is the second week that they have been at home.

And while the real games are on hold, the Gills were in e-sport action on Sunday night, facing Newcastle United in the Ultimate Quaran-Team Fifa video game tournament. Find out how they got on.

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