Sheffield Wednesday favourite Barry Bannan has discussed his side's return to training this week.

More than two months after the last Football League fixture was played, fans are finally starting to see a world of football once again after players returned to training this week.

The government had given clubs to go ahead to resume training this week ahead of a June restart - the Premier League announced its first fixture on 17 June yesterday, and the Championship is expected to restart soon after.

Speaking to www.swfc.co.uk, Bannan spoke of his time away from football, and the unusual circumstances in which players are returning:

“The only way you can describe it really is like it’s coming back into pre-season. You can’t get too close to anyone or anything like that but we know the circumstances and understand the situation so until further notice that’s what we will have to adhere to.

“We had gone nine weeks without training so it was a long time and you have to build back up. I spent time with my family but then after a while you miss that competitiveness of training and your daily routine."

Clubs have been enforcing strict social distancing protocols in training - players are to train in groups of no more than four or five, and some clubs are staggering their training times to allow for easier distancing measures for the time being.

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"It is a bit strange when you get to the training ground and the rules are pretty strict," explained Bannan. "You go in individually and the doctor will come over and take your temperature.

"We were given a coronavirus test kit on Monday to do in our own cars before entering the training ground and that will be the routine until we’re told otherwise.

“We’re training in groups of four and I’ve got some really good runners in mine!

“Every group gets their results in the group chat afterwards with all the running stats and they’ve been good, which just shows the professionalism of all the boys. It’s been hard work but it’s great to be back.”

Bannan, 30, has been a favourite at Hillsborough since his 2015 arrival. The Scot has over 200 appearances to his name, with 35 in the Championship this season along with two goals.

Garry Monk's side though have had a terrible 2020. They climbed up to 3rd-place in the Championship before Christmas but now find themselves in 15th - eight points off the top-six.

The verdict

It's great for fans to see players returning to training, and it'll be great for the players to start preparing for the rest of the season too. Bannan and Wednesday will need a near-perfect finish to the season to get back in the play-offs, but with players like him it's more than possible.