Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has said: “No it’s not looking good for Boxing Day” as he elaborated on the Covid situation at the club ahead of their Boxing Day game against Ipswich Town at Priestfield.

Covid has ripped through the League One side like many other clubs up and down the land and Saturday’s clash with Crewe Alexandra at Priestfield was postponed as a result.

With a threadbare squad already due to injuries, Gillingham have been hit hard by Covid both on and off the pitch with a number of staff self isolating.

Most of the players that are self isolating should be available just in time to feature on Boxing Day, but chairman Paul Scally has reiterated that the club may not have enough of them to play the game and a decision will be made in the coming days as to whether it can go ahead or not:

“Where’s the world with Covid? I just don’t know at this precise moment in time. We’ve got seven outfield players that are actually training plus both goalkeepers.” he told BBC Radio Kent.

“We’ve got six injured players who would otherwise be starting, we’ve got five players with Covid who are isolating and we’ve got one player and two members of staff who potentially have Covid, tested yesterday and are waiting for PCR tests.”

“Apart from that, we have a number of staff, matchday staff, stewards, catering staff who have called off because they are either isolating of they don’t want to come and be in public places at this moment in time.”

“You can’t play with seven players, that’s for sure. It is a real problem and we are all in a bit of a quandry in life at the moment, what to do, what not to do, what to do for the best, how to keep people safe.”

“From a personal point of view, I feel a little bit uncomfortable asking fans to come into the stadium if they feel uncomfortable in doing so and I think a lot of people will be looking twice at that even if we were able to play.”

“I will talk to the manager this morning to see if anything has changed and I will talk to the Football League, but my guess with the number of players injured and the Covid players, you can’t put them straight into a football match when he’s come out of a Covid situation.”

“It’s not looking good for Boxing Day right now, but like I say, I will talk to the League later today.”

With fans uncertainty about Boxing Day and whether it is safe to mix at this time, it seems like Gillingham’s game will be called off as Crawley Town’s game with Stevenage was on Wednesday morning for that very reason.

Eleven Boxing Day games have already been called off across the Football League due to Covid and fans will be hoping news on Gillingham’s clash with Ipswich Town is announced sooner rather than later.