Gillingham chairman Paul Scally has spoken of his shock at how few of his players have had the Covid vaccine.

Following the news that Gillingham’s League One fixture with Crewe Alexandra set for Saturday afternoon at Priestfield Stadium had to be called off, Scally has had his say about the current situation within English football that’s seeing many games called off.

A study from the Football League was published just after this weekend’s game was postponed and the startling statistic shows that 25% of Football League players are not intending to get jabbed.

Only 59% were double jabbed when the study was taken in November with 6% stating their intention to get vaccinated at some point, 10% single jabbed, whilst 25% have no intention of getting a jab at all.

Unvaccinated players deemed a close contact of someone who has tested positive for coronavirus must self-isolate for 10 days under the legal requirements.

When speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live on Thursday afternoon, Scally admitted he was shocked at how few Gillingham players had been vaccinated and that he would be speaking with manager Steve Evans about the situation.

Gillingham are due to play Ipswich Town at Priestfield on Boxing Day, but that game has to be in some doubt with some clubs already calling for a firebreak.

The EFL had issued guidance in July around two ‘green’ and ‘red’ protocols. Clubs have been following ‘green’ protocols of daily screening for symptoms, with stricter ‘red’ protocols, including testing, only triggered by any local outbreaks or further restrictions imposed by the government – as has happened in recent days. ‘Red’ protocols include:

• Attendance at first-team training grounds to be limited only to players and essential staff.
• Daily lateral flow testing for all first-team players and staff, subject to supply chain availability.
• PCR tests to be taken by any player or member of staff who displays Covid-19 symptoms or has received a positive lateral flow test.
• All players and staff (with the exception of medical staff providing treatment) to maintain physical distancing at all times when not in training.
• No player or staff member to be within 2m of another player or staff member for 15 minutes or more.
• Face coverings to be worn at all times in indoor training spaces.
• Closure of poorly-ventilated gym spaces where social distancing cannot be maintained.
• Staggered use of club kitchen and dining facilities with minimal staffing numbers.
• No media attendance at training grounds, with all pre-match conferences to be held virtually.

In recent weeks, Gillingham have been without the services of Rhys Bennett and Jamie Cumming due to Covid.