Rovers fitness guru Chris Rush is keeping a close eye on the players’ workload, even from their own homes.

The club's head of athletic performance has liaised with manager Tony Mowbray throughout the lockdown to create training schedules, and dietary plans, for the squad who have been unable to train at the club’s Brockhall base since March 13.

But that hasn’t stopped the necessary fitness work taking place, with captain Elliott Bennett giving an insight in to how their movements have been tracked during the lockdown.

“The club have been brilliant with us all and have given us dietary plans, running schedules that have all been set up by Chris Rush, the fitness coach,” Bennett explained.

“You’ve got to set it up on your phone, it’s not as if you can claim that you’ve done it when you haven’t. It tracks what you’ve done and it’s good in that sense.

“Nobody knows the exact date when football will start again. I think April 30 is the earliest date, so that’s the target that I’m setting for myself.”

Rovers hope the players will soon be allowed to train in small groups at Brockhall, without the need to use the indoor facilities, but that will hinge on Government advice.

The current re-start date of April 30 looks set to be pushed back this week, leaving the players unsure when they will meet up again.

But Bennett says that hasn’t stopped them staying in contact throughout this period.

“We’ve still got the WhatsApp group going and checking in that everyone’s alright,” he told the club website.

“But it’s strange not knowing when you’ll get back playing football. We’re going by what the Government are advising, with the club liaising with us on a regular basis.

“The date that we were supposed to be training has been pushed back twice so we’re all in a bit of limbo.”

For Bennett, coming through the coronavirus as a nation, rather than thinking of football, is the priority for now, the club captain having helped out in his local community during lockdown.

He has praised the NHS workers as ‘heroes’ and admits there is a bigger picture than the world of football right now.

He added: “In times like this, football needs to take a back seat. As frustrating as it is for us, the bigger picture needs to be everyone’s safety.

“If that means that football needs to shut down for a period, then that needs to be done.

“The safety of everyone is paramount. We’ll keep following the guidelines and keep listening to what the club are telling us.”