Stay at home to help NHS, urges Sheffield United star Chris Basham

The Blades last trained together on Friday, since when they have been in their own homes, training alone and following the Government’s advice to try to help contain the spread of coronavirus.

For a group of young men so used to spending their time having fun together on a training ground, it will be difficult but Basham understands it is necessary and has stressed supporters need to follow the guidelines too to allow the season to be completed as quickly as possible.

“It’s starting to hit home that I’m not waking up and going to training,” said Basham, who is at his family home in Newcastle.

“We can’t really go out and about and kick a ball around, we just have to try and stay fit and when we come back hopefully we can have a week or two to get ourselves going with the ball and get back playing again, which everyone can’t wait to do.

“We (the players) are all talking as much as we can. I think this has shown me what it’ll be like when I’m not a footballer and it’s a shock to my system not being in touch, being in the dressing room and having banter with the boys.

“We’re all sticking in together, staying at home and doing the best we can to help out everybody that needs our help, the Government and the NHS.

“We don’t really know what the next stage is. I’m just turning on the news hoping for the Government to give a speech telling us what’s happening next. It’s a day-by-day thing.

“I went to the shops yesterday to get food in and it was like a ghost town. It’s amazing to see the difference in the world.”

Although Sheffield United would qualify for a first Europa League campaign if the current Premier League table became the final one – depending on what happened with the FA Cup and Manchester City’s appeal against their ban from European cup competitions – Basham says the Blades players are united in wanting the campaign played to a conclusion, but stressed fans must to play their part.

Games have been suspended until at least April 30.

“We need to help the NHS as much as possible,” said Basham. “We want to stay at home so we can help this out go out and entertain again. The more people don’t stay at home, the longer it’s going take.

“Our manager spoke to us in the week and he wants to see an end (to the season). So do all the players.

“All the hard work we’ve put in, all the emotion, if the goals we set are all put to bed that would be heartbreaking but we just have to sit back and hope the Premier League can use their knowledge and the advice from others as to when that can happen.

“Everyone wants a fair crack of the whip and the manager wants us to finish the season, get all the games in and go from there.

“I’m not really sure how it would work if the season was null and void, what happens from there, who gets relegated, who stays up and who comes up. It just wouldn’t be fair.

“I think a season needs to be finished, however long it’s going to take, and that’s the perspective of all the boys.

“That’s why we’ve been given the fitness things to do. We don’t want to let ourselves down, the club down or the fans down when they return.

“We had Wattbikes delivered on Monday and we’ve got apps to monitor heartrate so there’s no hiding place for the lads. I’ve had my missus and kids filming our sessions!

“Then it’s about being family men and dads.

“The main thing is to listen to the Government’s advice.

“We’ll stay at home, the fans will stay at home and when the time’s right we’ll all be entertaining and ready for the football season to start again.

“It will be important for the season to be finished but we can’t have games behind closed doors if fans are going to show up in their numbers outside the stadiums where there’s not going to be police and ambulance so I just don’t know it would work out. We would love to play the games no matter how it would come.”