RENFREW boss Colin Clark believes his players should still be able to take part in non-contact training, despite their league being temporarily shut down by the Scottish Football Association.

All training and matches below SPFL Championship level have been suspended until at least the beginning of February as part of efforts to halt a surge in coronavirus cases.

It means Renfrew’s West of Scotland Football League campaign has been put into cold storage.

However, Clark is keen to see teams being given the go-ahead to resume training, on a non-contact basis, amid concerns over the impact being sidelined will have on players.

He told Gazette Sport: “The suspension is obviously down to testing and everyone having a separate work environment from their football one, so I can understand it.

“I think it’ll go on for a wee bit longer than the end of January.

“We’re going to need to see a significant change in the figures and see that the measures are working for it to come back.

“All you’re looking at is the wellbeing of your players and them not being able to exercise or have the chance to get together. That’s the only concern I’ve got, for the players.

“I think we could get back to non-contact training before we get playing again.”

Renfrew took nine points from their first five league games but haven’t been in action since November 28, as a series of postponements and then a three-week winter break disrupted their campaign.

It means that, even if clubs get the go-ahead to return to action in February, it will have been more than two months since Clark’s players last kicked a ball.

“We’ve not seen each other since November, so I’d like to get them together,” said Clark.

“I think that would be beneficial.

“It would be non-competitive but getting the players together is probably more beneficial to them than playing matches.”

Renfrew haven’t had their problems to seek during the Covid crisis, with the club having to deal with a positive test for one of its players at the beginning of December.

Clark added: “One player at the club had it and we all had isolation notices but those were revoked in the end and it was only two boys who were in close contact that had to isolate.”