Conference trucks::football;1

    
    Basically the English 1st Division has left the Football League
    (or rather leaves it in the next few weeks). This division of
    22 clubs will form the Premier Division and will be run by the
    Football Association.
    
    The three surviving divisions in the Football League will continue
    as before, only they will be one division 'higher'.
    
    There is still automatic promotion and relegation between all the
    divisions, and the Premier league, and the GM Vauxhall Conference,
    including the promotion play-offs taking place now.
    
    Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough won promotion to Division 1 (soon
    to be Premier League). Blackburn, Derby, Cambridge and Leicester
    are taking part in the play-offs for the 3rd promotion spot.
    Luton  :-)  Notts Co and West Ham were relegated out of Division 1.
    
    Next seasons FA Cup and Rumbelows Cup will (should) include all 
    Premier and Football League teams. The ZDS Cup will be for Premier 
    Division sides only (minus those playing in Europe), the Autoglass
    trophy will be for the 'new' Division 2 and 3 and it seems possible
    (likely) that the Anglo-Italian Cup will return for some (all) sides
    in the new Division 1.
    
    The premier league is supposed to be reduced from 22 to X over the next
    Y years where 0 < X < 23 and  0 < Y < 100

    
    ... and the trophy we have just seen Leeds parading in the last
    couple of weeks is staying in the Football League (after all it 
    is their trophy) so it's unlikely that Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal
    etc will ever win it again !
    
    There will be some new trophy to play for next season in the Premier
    League.
    
    Barclays are to continue to sponsor the Football League. I don't know
    who is supposed to be sponsoring the Premier League. 
    
    Since the FA run the Charity Shield, we can assume the 1993 Charity
    Shield will be between the Premier League Champions and the FA Cup
    Winners.  (Leeds United  vs  Leeds United  :-)  )

    
    The premier league is a money-making scheme. The FA initially justified
    it on the grounds that it would help the England national side because
    fewer games would be played by the top players; however, the league is
    starting out with 22 teams, the same number as this season and most
    first division chairman will fight any reduction because of the
    resulting loss of revenue. The ludicrous mickey mouse cups have been
    retained, so expect everything to function pretty much as it does now.
    
    Turning the tables...
    
    Can you Aussies tell me what's happening in the NSL (is that what it's
    called?) this season? Are Marconi still the best team and do you still
    have that end of season Championship play-off, so that you can finish
    fifth and still be crowned "league" champions? Are such luminaries as 
    Francis Awaritifee (ex-Sutton) still around? Ever heard of Blacktown?
    Or don't you take any notice?
    
    Yours interestedly,
    
    jeff

    
    > fifth and still be crowned "league" champions? 
    
    Funny you should say that but that is exactly what happened.
    Adelaide City beat Melbourne Croatia in the Final on a penalty
    shoot out (or a goal playoff as one commentator called it here !).
    
    Adelaide finished 5th in the league. They also won the Cup. At
    least the penalty shoot out is consistent with all other major
    football tournaments worldwide (it was penalties last year apparently
    as well).
    
    I would question the loyalties of the Adelaide fans though, there 
    seems to be a large Italian connection - the team plays in black
    and white stripes and the fans sing "Juve ! Juve !" at games. Remind
    you of any team in Europe ?

    
    Going back a few. On the sports news the other night twas said
    that Barclays will only sponsor the Football League for another
    season. Any more detais anyone.??
    
    JN.

    
    If the old trophy is not used again, i reckon they should give it to
    Liverpool for winning it the most times.
    
    Then again, i WOULD wouldnt i!
    
    Ian.

    
    Re .4 
    
    Thanks for the info. The ethnic aspect of Aussie soccer always bugged
    me; support seemed to be gleaned on the basis of ethnic origin rather
    than locality. For instance, Croatians in Sydney would support Melbourne
    Croatia against a local team not owned by those of their ethnic
    background. And what about the punch-ups between Croatians and
    Macedonians? Hardly the ICF, I know, but it's based on ancient ethnic
    rivalries that have nothing to do with modern day Australia or soccer
    for that matter.
    
    jeff

    The Old Trophy will be used for next years' Div 1 (aka Div 2). This
    means the Mancs will never ever again win the League ;-)
    
    jb.

    
    re .8
    
    Unless, of course, the Mancs get relegated. 
    

    re -1
    
    I never thought of that. Excellent idea.
    
    jb.

    
    	Can't find a suitable topic to enter this,so i hope this one will
        do.
    I have *NEVER* seen anyone mention Ipswich Town(div 2 champs 1992),in
    this notesfile.Are there any fellow Townies in here?
    If so,could you please keep me posted on all comings and goings at 
    Portman Road during the summer months.Also,could you post a fixture
    list(when issued),including pre season friendlies.I am  going to try
    and get down to see them(Probably at Liverpool/Manchester),this season.

    
    I've heard that Mick Mills is coming back in the central
    midfield slot.
    
    JN. :-)

    Re -1.
    
    Yep and I've heard his mum is leading the fans chants.
    
    BW.

    Hello,
    
    Pleased to hear of someone else in this notes conference supporting
    Ipswich. Hopefully over the next few months there will be a few more so
    we can have our own conference.
    
    I entered a note when Ipswich played Liverpool in the FA cup but as no
    interest was shown thought I was the only one!
    
    Unfortunately I now live in Reading after living in Ipswich in
    1959-1963, and 1972-1977, so don't get to see them as often as I
    would like but my Dad lives in Ipswich so I manage to keep up with
    events and try to get to see them as much as I can.
    
    I managed to get to the last two home games against Grimsby and
    Brighton and enjoyed both games (0-0) and (3-1). At the Brighton game
    they received the Cup for being 2nd Division CHAMPIONS and both the
    games and the atmosphere 23,363 and 28,000 approx. was great like the good 
    old days.
    
    The team was:
    
    Forrest, Stockwell, Thompson, Zondervan, Whealen, WARK, (Linigan came out 
    to receive the cup but didn't play because of injury), Johnson (1),
    Whitton (1), Dozzel, Kywmonia (sp) subs: Milton and Palmer
    
    Brighton played very well and had good support.
    
    As soon as I know the fixtures and any other details for next season I 
    will enter them. 
                                  

    re last
    
    I missed Paul Goddard off the team posted in the last message and I
    think that he scored the third goal.
    
    Steve

    
    The BBC and BSkyB have won the contract to televise permier league
    games for the next five years at a cost of �304 million. Match of the
    day will return on Saturday night - showing highlights, while BskyB
    will televise live games on Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings -
    theses live games will be decided by a panel consisting of tv people
    and Premier league people. 
    
    The service will probably be 'free' to BskyB viewers for the first
    year, but become a pay service after that. BskyB and BBC still have a
    year of their exclusive contract to show F.A. Cup games.
    
    The good news is - it probably means the end of Saint and Greavies, tha
    bad news is.... Jimmy Hill will be back on telly every saturday....
    
    Paul

    Rick Parry was interviewed on the BBC News last night - the Sky deal
    will mean a ramp up in sales of dishes for Sky, free Live TV for a yer,
    and then when the punter is hooked, a fee for each game - and shaft the
    punter. Monday night football does not appeal to me - I watch football
    live, it should be played on a Saturday afternoon - Sunday is a pain
    and Monday night is a complete pain for those fans that go to games,
    especially to well supported clubs. Perhaps the Monday slot could be
    reserved for those teams with a smaller localised support rather than
    the Leeds / Man U / Arsenal / Liverpool - showing them (at home) on a
    Monday night will seriously disadvantage their supporters. 
    
    jb.

    
    Some comparative figures:
    
    In 1986, BBC and ITV paid �6.2 million for joint TV coverage.
    
    In 1987, ITV paid �44 million for exclusive rights over four years.
    
    In 1992, BSkyB and BBC paid �304 million for exclusive rights over five
    years.
    
    So, in six years the price has risen from �6.2 million a year to just
    over �60 million a year. The FA are probably rubbing their hands in
    glee at the thought of all that lovely dosh but ordinary punters like
    us lot ought to be more concerned about the extra demands TV is going
    to make. TV already dictates kick-off dates and times, plus, I suspect,
    having some say in the number of replays in a competition; imagine the
    extent of control they're going to demand now, given that they'll be
    paying over five times as much next season.
    
    jeff

    Somewhere down the line we're going to go the way of American Football
    to such an extent that there will be a couple of time-outs for TV 
    advertising during the game. If the TV companies offer enough in the
    way of finacial incentives I would imagine that the Graham Kellys of 
    the future (what a terrible thought eh?) and the League Chairman, 
    brought up in the TV soccer age, will gladly re-write the rule book 
    for a nominal fee. 
    
    barry.
       

    re .19
    
    Funny you should say that, since that is almost exactly what is
    happening/has happened with American sports. TV pays a ton of money to
    televise games, then sets times and dates. The baseball season, for
    example, plays it's championship in late October, with all night games,
    which is a little cold for a summertime sport. No matter, TV pays the
    way, and they get a larger audience, so... 
    
    For the same reason, I would expect that the "big" clubs, ie. Man U, 
    Liverpool, Arsenal, etc. would be on the Monday night games more often 
    than say, Wimbledon vs Sheffield Wednesday, only because the big clubs 
    have more fans nationwide than the smaller ones, and they will watch the 
    team if they are on TV. Of course, this has no consideration for the fans 
    who might make a long trip on a Saturday, but couldn't make the same 
    trip on for a Monday night game. Then again, since when does TV care about 
    the people who attend the match live?
    
    Tom

    In Ireland RTE 2 will be allowed to show 15 live league games next
    season and have also done a deal for live Cup Matches. Seems there 
    could be trouble in some houses around the extended weekend tele.
    
    Personally I prefer a few matches with the hi-lights on Sat Night.
    
    Stephen
     

    Don't forget all you people out there whinging about the TV coverage
    and having kick off times dictated too, it was the chairmen of Arsenal,
    Liverpool et all whom in their greed for more dosh happily rode on the
    FA bandwagon to more and more dosh to the detriment of every other club
    and their supporters whom are not now in the Premier Division. For
    those same chairmen to now start whinging is showing a distinct lack of
    foresight on their part and a naivette in that they trusted the FA to
    do the right thing by them. What a shame, how sad, never mind. I hope
    all you Premier League cluns supporters are looking forward to your
    reduced admissions, bigger and cheaper programmes etc as your share of
    the TV money. Thats about as likely to happen as John Barnes having a
    storming game for England.
    
    I've said it before, the only people to benefit from the Premier League
    will be the players whom will be paid even more rediculous sums of
    money and the internal administrators of the game. 
    
    Why not even the England team benefit from the new league. Was'nt that
    the original idea.
    
    I'm very sad but I think that this is the end of football in this
    country. Whom will be able to afford to regularly take their family to an 
    all seater stadium in future. Whom is going to pay to watch the same
    old live games on satellite once the novelty has worn off. If the Sky
    thing does not take off. I'm sure the BBC and ITV are not going to pay
    as much money to show highlights etc.
    
    Regards,
    
    
    Barry.
    

    Stop whinging Barry, the Hatters are still in the First Division 8^)
    In the advent of the BSkyB/BBC deal, will ITV now be picking up the
    Football League coverage? So maybe it has'nt turned out too badly?
    A chance to sample football other than that offered by the fat cats 
    is a welcome return after all these years and from what I understand
    a new League deal will benefit "the rest" more so than the ITV contract
    of the past. Perhaps we'll get to see Barnet's Div 3 promotion next
    year? Hopefully ITV will extend that far rather than dwelling exclusively
    on the clubs of the new First, Luton Town included. 
    
    barry.
      
    

    Exactly Barry. I'm not whinging I'm just suprised at the lack of any
    rational thought patterns from the big 5/6 chairman.
    
    Since when have the FA acted with any considered opinion except that of
    their own. Lets face it, had the FA or League cared to pole the
    football supporter, ie those that go to games. Then I am sure that the
    live game saga would have been got rid of ages ago. The highlights type
    programme ala Match of the Day or The Big Match were much more popular,
    with the majority as well as I'm sure those supporters whom are unable
    to attend live football for whatever reason. 
    
    All you big 5/6 supporters out there ask yourselves this. Would you have
    been happy not seeing your team on the box every other week. But
    instead you were treated to Wimbledon V Luton, Norwich V Southampton,
    Coventry V Oldham, Luton V Coventry et all each and every season. Bear
    in mind an awful lot of neutral supporters have had to endure a lot of
    to be honest boring sad games. Games that have not warranted the title
    the 'Big Match' or whatever.
    
    I do as a consequence really fear for the long term good of football in
    the UK. 
    
    Regards,
    
    
    Barry. 

	re .24

>    instead you were treated to Wimbledon V Luton, Norwich V Southampton,
>    Coventry V Oldham, Luton V Coventry et all each and every season. Bear

	Reminds me some years ago of ITV in the Midlands having Norwich
	v WBA as the featured match. By the time they'd edited out all
	the boring bits they were left with a lot of time to fill with
	snippets of other games.

	Tony

    Re -1.
    
    My point exactly. The TV conmpanies have in the past shown a sad lack
    of foresight and wisdom in choosing their live games, which if everyone
    were honest, you could guarantee that Liverpool V Man Utd, Arsenal V
    liverpool, Tottenham V Arsenal, Liverpool V Everton, Man Utd V Arsenal,
    would be on the box in one form or another. Those fixtures have thrown
    up some rotten 0-0 draws yet every other nuetral fan has had to endure
    the same old fodder year in year out.
    
    The big 5 have had their own way for the last 5 years now their cake is
    to be split 22 ways they don't like it. 
    
    Well tough.
    
    I hope all you Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham fans
    enjoy your Monday nights in future.
    
    Me I'll watch Corrie Street, more exciting.
    
    
    Regards,
    
    
    Barry.