Watford Chairman Scott Duxbury has said the Premier League should not be "rushing” to return as the NHS continues to fight coronavirus.

The Hornets' chairman and chief executive officer said that “all efforts have to be on beating this pandemic” during a press conference held at Vicarage Road earlier today.

It comes as Culture Secretary and Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden said he wanted to get football back up and running “as soon as possible” in the House of Commons on the same morning, but that any such moves “would have to be consistent with public health guidance".

Duxbury said that football should only restart when it is “safe” and that the running of Watford FC “is secondary” during the Covid-19 crisis.

He said: “I feel uncomfortable at this stage talking about football as a narrative with there being stresses on the NHS and that has to be a priority.

“Do I want to resume football? Absolutely. As long as it is safe, and the Government says it is absolutely fine.

“I’ll be led by the Government. If they say it’s safe and we’re not going to put pressure on the NHS, then fantastic.

“But I think we have to be led to make sure that it is safe and that we are not rushing.”

Duxbury added that fighting coronavirus is a “war” and that it is "one we need to win”.

He said: “It doesn’t matter if you work in football or not, everyone can see what we are facing.

“I understand that football plays an important part in society and I can’t wait for it to return, but the priority has to be on beating coronavirus.”

“We’re making sure we’re doing initiatives like contacting vulnerable supporters and to that aspect everything is continuing but everything else really has been put to one side as there is a greater need at this present moment.”

Duxbury also spoke about the partnership between the Hornets and Watford General Hospital, with space having been made at Vicarage Road for bedrooms, training areas for young nurses and counselling rooms.

He praised workers at Vicarage Road for how they are helping staff at the hospital.

He said: “I really do need to pay credit to staff for working here every day because it is them who came to me insisting that we do something and its them that said they would volunteer every single day.

“I think when you have that kind of mentality that people just want to help and make a difference it is really quite humbling.

“I just feel truly privileged to help and assist the hospital and it’s a real demonstration of the quality of staff that we have at this football club.

“I couldn’t be prouder as the chairman of this football club as I am today.”