Former Shrewsbury Town favourite Steve Cross: Players need mini pre-season

The former Shrewsbury Town fans' favourite believes it will benefit players to null and void campaigns unless players are given sufficient time to get up to speed after the Covid-19 lockdown is lifted.

The EFL have scheduled players to return to training in the middle of May, with a short period of training before heading into a hectic period of 56 days to wrap up the campaign, with Town needing to play 10 more games.

Cross, who played 323 games for Shrewsbury between 1977 and 1986, fears footballers will need a 'mini pre-season' to get their fitness to the necessary standards ready to play regular matches.

"From a footballers' point of view the guys that are off at the moment are going to need another mini pre-season to get the levels of fitness otherwise injuries would be a massive problem," Cross said.

"I know a few teams will miss out with promotions and relegations but I just think it's the best thing for players.

"It's hard. I still keep myself fit but for professional footballers being unable to play you can totally lose your fitness in 10 days if you don't do anything.

"And from that you'll need two or three weeks training to get back towards match fit. I know the lads have probably been doing a fitness programme but it's not the same as training competitively on a day-to-day basis.

Cross remains an avid follower of Town and barely missed a home game at Montgomery Waters Meadow before the coronavirus halted action.

The popular former Radio Shropshire summariser says he is all too aware, during his post-retirement work with the NHS, how the body reacts to limited exercise.

He continued: "I think it will be really hard to start again. Players will need a two-and-a-half to three week mini pre-season otherwise injuries will be horrendous.

"I've worked with rehabilitation as a rehab technician with the NHS, mainly with older people, but with the experience I have in football you just can't do it.

"Muscles and tendons don't react well to an increase in workload of what could be three games a week. So I think it is for the benefit of the footballers."

Cross felt Sam Ricketts' Salop were beginning to find their feet. He added: "I think it clicked with Sam wt what the supporters wanted and it was just unfortunate for him that the season finished just as he was getting the right shape."