MIDDLEWICH Town Football Club is starting to become a hive of activity again.

Seddon Street has been readied for activities to resume both on and off the field as Covid restrictions were eased earlier this week.

As of Monday, organised outdoor sport is allowed again so the Witches have be able to resume training and matches.

As vice-chairman Mark Morris also explained, changes have been put in place to allow the club bar to open on the earliest possible date of April 12, when hospitality settings will be able to serve customers outdoors.

“As we get closer to football starting up again, there is a lot of preparation going on at the Club,” he said.

“The 4G pitch is being brushed ready for training to start, the floodlights have been checked and the sanitiser bottles filled.

“The main pitch has been mown and marked out, plus the team have been busy weeding round the paving.

“A new 12mx6m marque has been erected so that following the 12th April the bar can open – the beer order has been placed and the cellar fired up.

“We had a Zoom briefing with the managers and coaches on Friday to get them up to speed with the restrictions that will apply as we come back to the Club.

“In the short term, it is going to be very similar to the pre-lockdown restrictions so please help everyone out and follow the guidelines that the managers pass to you.”

The Witches were involved in the CFL Premier Division but following a vote of clubs, that competition has been curtailed.

In its place will be the JB Parker Premier Division Cup – a 16-team, Champions League style knockout tournament.

The teams have been split into four groups, with teams playing each other twice and the top two from each pool qualifying for the knockout stages.

Middlewich have been drawn in Group Three alongside Greenalls Padgate St Oswalds, Broadheath Central and Altrincham Reserves.

The full fixture list for the tournament is yet to be confirmed.

Cheshire Football League JB Parker Premier Division Cup, group stage draw:

Group One: Billinge, Crewe FC, Lostock Gralam, Daten

Group Two: Winstanley Warriors, Congleton Town Reserves, Garswood United, Egerton

Group Three: Greenalls PSO, Broadheath Central, Middlewich Town, Altrincham Res

Group Four: Poynton, FC St Helens, Eagle Sports, Knutsford

Middlewich Town Reserves will be back in action on Saturday as they travel to face their counterparts from Broadheath Central.