Axminster Town’s senior players report back for pre-season training on Thursday (June 25) and a number of other East Devon-based clubs have also announced midweek returns to some form of pre-season work.

The Tigers first and second teams will be training at Tiger Way from 7pm with old and new players made welcome.

All pre-season work will be conducted in line with the current government guidelines and the Town clubhouse will not be open so players are advised that they need to turn up changed and with their own drinks.

Upottery have their first session tomorrow night (Tuesday) at their Glebe Park headquarters. Upottery’s players will be having their first meeting with new manager Alex McCreadie-Taylor.

Dunkerwell Rovers’ players return on Wednesday evening for their first session.

In their case they asked for players too contact their manager as they had determined they could only accommodate a maximum of 18 players, working in three groups of six.

In all cases the clubs have taken to social media to make it very clear that the sessions need to be under ‘very different’ conditions to those that players might usually expect. Social distancing will be observed and players are being reminded that, wherever possible, they should not be car sharing, nor should they consider sharing boots, shin pads and gloves.

One thing is for sure, footballers returning to their respective clubs at this ‘grass roots’ level are going to have to get used to a ‘new norm’.