TONY Mowbray says it would be “sad” to have to finish the season behind closed doors - but insisted public health should be a priority in any decision taken with regard to stopping the spread of coronavirus.

A government emergency COBRA meeting is taking place this afternoon, after which it is anticipated the UK’s response will be escalated from containment to the delay phase.

This could impact on sporting events, as well as other social distancing methods, which may lead to football matches in the Football League and Premier League being played behind closed doors, if at all.

Mowbray is preparing his players for Saturday’s visit of Bristol City as normal but said there was a lot of uncertainty about this weekend and the remainder of the season, and urged the authorities to act in the best interests of public health and safety.

“I think we have to put public health first and foremost. I think we all understand that,” said the Rovers boss.

“We’ve all got parents, grandparents, children, people have got small children. I think we have to put public health first.

“Football is a sport. Football is more than a sport for a lot of people of course – it’s the highlight and the pinnacle of their week, supporting their team and following their team, and for footballers it earns them a living.

“I think it would be sad to finish the season behind closed doors if that’s what happens.

“But we’re all trying to do the right things. The government has to do the right thing, the football authorities have to do the right thing.

“As I say, we’ve all got loved ones – young people, old people.”

Of the level of uncertainty, he added: “I think the world doesn’t really know at this moment.

“It’s very strange.

“I don’t know how far you take it. Every time you meet somebody at a game, are we shaking hands? Are we not shaking hands?

“I almost want to wish the next few months away hoping that this all dies down and we’re talking about this in a year’s time saying ‘remember the carnage around coronavirus and how everything got stopped, we missed this and we didn’t do that’.

“I don’t know what the answer is.

“It’s serious because it’s people’s lives. People have to find the answers for how we overcome it and put it all behind us.”

Spain’s La Liga has been suspended and Italy’s Serie A may be cancelled without a winner, but Mowbray said English clubs so far were having their own take on how to deal with the situation.

“Our mascots didn’t come to Derby yet they had a load of mascots so who was right and who was wrong?” he said.

“How far are we taking it? How far are other clubs taking it?

“Ten days ago Steve Bruce said none of his players were doing handshakes in the morning but it’s moving on. Next it’s no mascots, the next thing it might be no crowds, then people will be saying what about the footballers coming into contact with each other?

“Are we going to postpone the matches? Are we going to play them in the summer? Is the league going to get finished?

“Are Liverpool going to win the league behind closed doors somewhere? I don’t know.

“I see the PSG game on the television and no-one in the stadium and yet tens of thousands of people outside the stadium. I’m not sure why they can’t be in the stadium if they’re all allowed to be outside the stadium and celebrating and jumping around with each other.

“I don’t know what the answer is. I think authorities will let the country and the football industry know what’s next.

“It’s business as usual for us until we’re told it’s not.”