With footballers from across the globe returning to training ahead of Leagues potentially restarting in the next few weeks, we’ve been talking to Kent’s export to Major League Soccer – Luis Binks – as he returns to Canada to resume his career with Impact Montreal.

Luis who has returned to his Gillingham family home during the height of the current crisis, told us about the day he received word to return to Canada; he said, “it was a good and horrible call. Good in the sense that it obviously meant the league were moving forward quickly to get us back training/playing, but it’s horrible having to leave the area you’re from and everyone at home as you’re unsure when you’ll see them again!”

“Having to say goodbye to my family wasn’t a nice feeling as like I said before I’m unsure when I’ll get to go back home or when they can come out here, but even when they can come here, not everyone I’d see at home will come out as it’s not possible!”

“Travelling back to Canada was very surreal just like flying home. There’s no shops open; no restaurants open; hardly any people on flights – there’s only a maximum 10 flights per day I’d say – but when I got back to Montreal, it was amazing. It’s so hot now!”

“People used to say to me it’s brilliant in the summer, but I never believed them as all I saw was deep, deep snow but now, it’s amazing!”

“We’re still in Lockdown, but it seems to be better than before because now golf and tennis centres are back open and there seems to be more people about day to day.”

“Just as in England, there still hasn’t been any formal date for the MLS to restart – we’re just waiting to see what happens and what the league decide but sooner rather than later hopefully.”

“Unlike the Premier League, we haven’t started training yet. Just as in England, when we do get back playing it will probably be without fans which obviously is not ideal and it’s not something I’d prefer to do as there is no better feeling than playing in front of thousands of fans.”

“But at this moment in time if we want to get back to playing asap, we need to play behind closed doors, I think.”

“The Canadian government hasn’t given any indication yet as to when we may restart that I’m aware of, but I can imagine that date can change at any point. There’s no top-level sport currently being played in Canada!”

As a Gills fan all his life, the eighteen year old has sympathy with the Gills squad who are still waiting to find out if League One will continue or not as he admitted, “I’ve been following the story and have seen they may do a PPG thing which makes sense and if that is what they do then Gillingham have a real chance of going on and doing well.”

“Just before all this they made Priestfield a hard place to go which was good to see.”