Mansfield Town players' coronavirus fears as opponents test positive

Mansfield Town Football Club has been notified by Leyton Orient that a number of its first team squad have tested positive for COVID-19, following Saturday’s match at The Breyer Group Stadium.

This leaves uncertainty around Mansfield’s forthcoming fixture at the One Call Stadum against Exeter City this Saturday.

Mansfield Town first team players and staff are all currently undergoing testing, a club spokesperson confirmed, with results hoped within 24 hours.

A statement from the club reads: “The club is currently in dialogue with the EFL and will take any additional steps as necessary, in line with their advice.

“For clarity, the club’s first team squad reported for training on Monday and no player reported feeling unwell or has experienced symptoms of COVID-19.”

The results will determine if their forthcoming home fixture will go ahead this weekend, with EFL guidance anticipated to allow the fixture to take place should the team receive a clean bill of health.

The statement continues: “Throughout the pandemic, the club has adhered strictly to advice and guidelines from the government and the EFL and will continue to do so.

“The health, welfare and safety of all the Mansfield players and staff is the club’s absolute priority.”

Regular testing of players is not mandatory in the English Football League as it is in the Premier League, but it is reported that Carabao Cup opponents Tottenham Hotspur requested Leyton Orient players were tested prior to their third round cup fixture, which was due to take place this evening.

Leyton Orient chairman Nigel Travis, speaking on talkSPORT would not confirm the rumours which were circulating that as many as 18 players and staff had tested positive.

He said: “We had a significant number of positives, but we don’t know the official number.

"It’s been a strange process because Tottenham asked us to do these tests and we did it very willingly.”

Fans were quick to express their concerns when it was revealed in a post-match interview with Leyton Orient’s head coach Ross Embleton that nine of Leyton Orient players were reported to have ‘a bug’ prior to the fixture.

One fan tweeted: “If there was a bug going around, surely Leyton Orient should have taken action?

"This ‘bug’ was most likely COVID-19, in which case surely they should have done something about it?”

Football fans had been hoping to return to stadiums next month, subject to successful pilots around the country, so some were concerned that positive player tests on a large scale would delay grounds reopening.

One fan said: “What a start to the season.

"It’s not looking good for fans to be allowed back into the ground.”

A statement on Leyton Orient’s website said: “Following our game on Saturday September 19, COVID-19 testing was conducted on all of our first team playing squad,

“Today we received formal confirmation which shows that a number of our first-team squad have tested positive for COVID-19.

“We have informed Mansfield Town, Plymouth Argyle and Oldham Athletic, our three most recent opponents, prior to the public release of this information.”

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