Cornick describes his first day back at the Brache

Hatters attacker Harry Cornick has given a players’ perspective into what the return to training was like this week.

The forward, like the rest of his team-mates, was allowed back to the Brache for the first time since the country went into lockdown measures back in March.

Luton have been following the strict EFL’s Return to Training Protocol and UK Government guidelines on social distancing, which allows no contact between small groups of players.

Speaking to the club’s official website about the measures in place before even getting on to the pitches, Cornick said: “I was in the third session, starting at 1.30pm so we couldn’t arrive any earlier than quarter-past.

“We were outside the gates at 1.15pm waiting to be let in.

“It felt strange because we saw the previous group leaving as we were coming in, so everyone was winding down their windows and speaking to each other Harry Redknapp style, asking how everyone’s been doing because it’s the first time we’ve seen each other in two months.

“We had to take the gym equipment out of the car that we’d had at home with us, we had to give all that back so it can be disinfected.

“Then we went straight into our Covid test.

“Every morning the medical staff take your temperature when you get there and then when you leave, to make sure you’re not showing any symptoms.

“It’s massive when you hear the results come back negative.

“It fills you with a bit of confidence behind the process that everyone’s all-clear, and as long as we all stay safe, we can trust each other.

“I think that’s the great thing about this squad, that I know that nobody is going to be doing anything stupid.

“Everyone is going to be trying their best to get the season to go ahead by behaving themselves.

“We’ve been sent a return to training protocol from the club explaining what the rules are and we all had to sign and return it, to say we agreed.

“I’d rather it was all done safe and properly than a bit hit and miss – ‘Can we do this? Can we do that?’

“They’ve literally done it to the point where you know exactly what you can and can’t do, and you have to stick to the letter of the law.”

With social distancing still very much in place, then Cornick admitted it is a weird rule to follow, as he continued: “The coaches all came over to say hello – Mick(Harford), Forbesy (Adrian Forbes), Planty (Elliott Plant) and all of them were there – and were just having a chat, seeing how people have been for the past two months, but all the time staying two metres apart.

“Again, that’s quite strange because on the first day back for pre-season, normally you’d give people a hug or something, and it’s not nice not to be able to do that.

“If we see Mick in the morning, normally shake his hand or give him a cuddle, but it’s just got to be done.”

On what the actual training side of things are like though, Cornick said: “We went into a six-minute yo-yo, which is just a warm-up jog really. It’s not strenuous. They get a baseline fitness for us, so they know how we are getting on.

“We did ball work, just basic passing drills in our four, and my touch was as normal, not the best!

“Then it was on to the dreaded 1,500m run and after that, acceleration work, not even near match pace, but that’s the thing.

“In lockdown we’ve been getting club programmes but it’s so hard to recreate running at 100 per cent.

“I don’t think I’ve run at 100 per cent in eight weeks, really. I’ve tried, and you can get close, but until you’ve got a ball in front of you, or a defender chasing you or you’re chasing someone back, it’s so hard to hit that top speed.”

Once training is finished, Town’s players have to put their kit through the wash as well, to ensure they meet hygiene standards.

He added: “I put the kit straight in the wash at 60 degrees and showered myself.

“The kit was all soon hanging out to dry in the garden – I am quite domesticated now.

“Overall, it was good to be back, everything was well run and all went according to plan with no dramas, which is a good sign.

"I’m looking forward to the rest of the week now and confident it will all become normal and we can get back to playing soon.”