Notts County will not have to shake off the cobwebs on Saturday afternoon, should the game get the go-ahead.
The Magpies are scheduled to take on Sheffield United at Meadow Lane for what will be the team’s first match since New Year’s Day.
Although snow has fallen on the pitch, an inspection on Friday afternoon deemed it to be playable.
A further examination will take place at 9.30am on Saturday morning and if the outcome is positive Notts will face their first 90 minutes in nearly three weeks.
Despite recent postponements, the club’s training base at St George’s Park has allowed for the squad to train as normal, thanks to the under-soil
First team manager Keith Curle feels that the facility has been highly valuable in keeping his side up to speed in terms of match fitness but he remains desperate for some competitive action, as the Magpies look to climb back up the npower League 1 table.
He told the press: “The pleasing thing is that the players appreciate it and you can tell by the application and the atmosphere in and around the training ground.
“We know now that a lot of teams will either be on 3G pitches or in gyms doing spinning classes and other things that are alien to footballers.
“You don’t go training on pitches like that and not take full advantage of it.
“We’ve had proper, full-on sessions of 11 v 11 in-house, because we know we haven’t had the match practice.”
He added: “I’m in it to play matches, I don’t want to be a manager that coaches through the week and has nothing at the end.
“I want and enjoy the buzz of a game, so I work all week to get that release, that end product on a Saturday or a Tuesday.
“That’s what we’re in the game for – we want to win games.”
Further coverage will be available on BBC Radio Nottingham and in the Nottingham Post.
For the full press conference with the manager, sign in to Magpie Player.