The Premier League will see a return to some normality from this weekend.
Premier League bosses have written to all the clubs giving them the green light from match round 28 they can return to their previous dressing room set-ups, opposing teams can walk out of the tunnel together and a relaxation on red zone rules.
It comes with impeccable timing as it is two years since football effectively shut down in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Project Restart got top-flight games going again three months later but with severe restrictions as games were played behind closed doors, older grounds like Goodison Park and Turf Moor had to set up temporary away dressing rooms as facilities did not meet the required standards.
But now clubs have been told they can return to their normal dressing rooms, players can walk out together and also there will be more access for the media for pre-match, post-match and in-person press conferences.
Managers should be able to use press conference rooms again where numbers allow as long as stadiums pass the risk assessment checks.
It is a major step forward although clubs will carry on with Covid testing and staff still have to go into their training grounds on a regular basis for tests so they can remain in their “bubble.”
But from this weekend, Premier League games will go back to being much closer to what we were used to.
And that is good timing because the excellent Premier League initiative for a show of support for Ukraine - including yellow and blue captain armbands, messages on big screens and a period of reflection before every game - will perhaps make more of an impact.
Petryak makes noble gesture as war rages
Ukraine midfielder Ivan Petryak, who plays for Hungarian team Fehervar, has invited eight people who fled Ukraine to stay in his house in Hungary.
Petryak, 27, also paid for body armour and helmets for the war effort in Ukraine. Former Arsenal defender Oleg Luzhny is another sports star who is trying to return to his country to help the fight.
Covid concern for Chelsea fans in Lille
Chelsea fans have been wondering about the future of the whole club after Roman Abramovich announced his intention to sell.
But the football still goes on and there is concern among supporters about the Champions League trip to Lille and who can get into the stadium because of strict Covid rules in France.
Chelsea have taken their full allocation of 2,608 tickets for travelling fans but have sent a memo to fans explaining that anyone who has had a third booster jab within the last four months will be given “immediate access.”
Lille have provided further updates on March 1 but the country is further relaxing rules later in the month and it may head off a bigger issue after the Champions League final was moved to Paris - and may allow Novak Djokovic to play in the French Open.
Ex-players offers refereeing pathway
Former Manchester City player Josh Crofts and ex-Dagenham Michael Alaile are well established on the Player to Referees Pathway scheme.
The initiative is run jointly by the PGMOL, FA and PFA and is a great way for ex-players to get into refereeing especially at a time when there is a need for more and better officials.
Crofts, released by Port Vale in 2013, went into playing semi pro as well as doing a sales job but took up this scheme in 2019 and is now taking charge of EFL academy games. He said: “I don’t think many players can imagine themselves as refs, but the Player to Referee pathway really opens the door.”
Players are being encouraged to join and can do so through the PFA.
