KARL Robinson believes scrapping the end of the football season should still be viewed as a last resort.

While the vast majority of clubs in the EFL still want to play the outstanding fixtures, the difficulties of dealing with the coronavirus crisis are not going away.

Today marks seven weeks since the suspension of a campaign which was due to end this Sunday.

The league have said they will only return once it is safe, but questions about how that could be managed, given the volume of Covid-19 testing for players and staff required, are proving tough to answer.

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It prompted reports yesterday saying players had been told that the possibility of the remaining fixtures being scrapped was real.

Robinson views such suggestions as unhelpful at this stage and thinks clear deadlines are needed to avoid speculation.

He said: “I think it’s far too soon to be chucking things around publicly.

“For me the best way of dealing with all of these scenarios is having three different protocols in place and when you reach a certain date you move on to the next one.

“Then we all have time to digest it and work out the best way round it.

“If we don’t have this we’re all in limbo and not too sure what to do.

“The players need focus.”

The first path would be the one tentatively set out by the EFL.

It sees clubs return to training after May 16, with a restart of games in early June.

But under Robinson’s plan, if training cannot begin by a certain date then the bottom three should be relegated and the top eight would compete for promotion via play-offs.

“The third option is if we can’t get anything back up and running by this date the season is null and void and we start again,” Robinson said.

“But the sanctions have to continue, so if you had a points deduction this season then that should stay.

“I’m saying this with a heavy heart, understanding that people’s safety is the priority.”

Robinson admitted all parties involved were showing the strain of such a prolonged spell of uncertainty.

He said: “The big thing with the players is I think they’re a bit unsure of what’s going on.

“They’re hearing through different circles about what’s going on.

“The PFA don’t agree with the clubs, the clubs don’t agree with players, we’re all over the place right now.”

Had the season continued as normal, this could have been a momentous weekend for the U’s.

Sitting third when the season was suspended, there was a chance Sunday’s finale against Bolton Wanderers could have been a promotion party at the Kassam Stadium.

“You do think about that,” Robinson said.

“It’s a week of the year where if you’re involved with promotions or relegations then the nervous energy is different.

“I just hope we’ll be able to experience these moments later on down the line.”