List of sports teams in Great Britain

* **Programmes –** Instead, produce a simple 12-16 page stapled programme with a word from the manager, who the opposition is, brief overview of the week, last match report, season stats and team names on back. Cheaper to put together and print, and will sell more if priced at £1.
* **Stadium Big Screen -** Travel information, hygiene information, replay of incidents, VAR review, Score with timekeeping, Real-time substitution animations (highlight changes with the click of a button), Live match stats (corners, possession, shots on target delivered in real time), Team lineup (with photos), show latest scores from other matches, minute silence, birthday messages, total attendance, No Room For Racism (Ball) (Football League)

EE Arena, Swansea - 15,000

* Stadio della Roma
* http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:cmXHYQm5I8sJ:https://www.thetotallyfootballshow.com/from-the-podcasts/scottish-football-has-no-sponsor-few-foreign-tv-rights-no-direction-what-must-change/&hl=en&gl=uk&strip=1&vwsrc=0
* Premier League TV channel launches on Peacock TV
* How football grounds explain the election result
* UK general election 2019: who football club consistencies voted for in 2017
* A whole game solution
* FA has introduced new rules to help protect the heritage of football clubs
* Global Zero Action Plan
* Louts could be banned from using trains under plans to tackle antisocial behaviour
* Marlowes Shopping Centre
* Bodybuilding is banned (All of these are disbanded: https://proprepcoaching.com/female-competition/bodybuilding-federations-in-the-uk-which-one-to-choose-if-you-are-a-female-competitor/)
* Great Britain Bandy Association, British Caving Association (caving is not considered a sport), QuidditchUK (also not considered a sport), British Yardball Association, British Baseball Federation are disbanded due to a lack of interest and lack of funding
* Animal racing is banned thus the British Horseracing Authority is disbanded
* Outlaw the production and release of birds for shooting, and has a ban in place on the hunting of deer, wild boar and geese. Currently, the hunting of wild hares, pheasants, mallards, pigeons and rabbits is permitted, but the new proposals would extend prohibition to all wildlife, as well as ‘game’ birds
* Not be using live animals in their festive events and will not be granting permission for other festive event organisers to use animals, also do not use live animals as part of a long-term commitment

## **Football**

### **International**

1They also play Liberty Stadium in Swansea and Racecourse Ground in Wrexham.

 Ireland
 Scotland
 Wales

Ericssion Exhibition Centre

* FA Youth Cup final is held at the bigger home stadium of 1 of the 2 finalists
* 2021 EFL Division 4 play-off final was held at Ashton Gate, Bristol
* 2022 EFL Division 4 play-off final was held at London Stadium, London
* 2022 FA Charity Shield is held at King Power Stadium

**Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff**

* Wales national football match
* FA Cup final
* Anglo-Scottish Super Cups biannually
* Football League Cup final
* Football League Trophy final
* Championship play-off final
* Football League Division 1, 2 and 3 play-offs final (logo)
* FA Charity Shield
* Welsh Varsity rugby match biennial (Cardiff v Swansea)
* WRU Youth Cup final
* Secondary Schools Cup rugby finals
* Concerts
* FAW Youth Cup final
* Welsh Schools' FA Welsh Cup final football
* Wales rugby matches
* Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain
* Rally of Great Britain
* MMA fights
* Concerts

**Parc Ninian**

* Cardiff City F.C.
* Welsh Varsity football match biennial (Cardiff v Swansea)

**Principality Stadium (located at Motorpoint Arena and adjacent car park)**

* Cardiff Rugby

**Villa Park, Birmingham**

* Women's FA Community Shield
* Non-League Finals Day (FA Trophy and FA Vase final)

#### **Aviva Stadium**

* Shelbourne F.C.
* The Colours Match football
* Ireland national rugby matches
* Ireland national football matches
* MMA fights
* Concerts

Bateman Cup final is held at the bigger home stadium of 1 of the 2 finalists

Dublin Hospitals Rugby Cup final is held at the bigger home stadium of 1 of the 2 finalists

The Colours Match rugby is held at Donnybrook Stadium

Lenister Senior Cup final is held at Donnybrook Stadium

Leinster Schools Senior Rugby Cup rugby is held at Donnybrook Stadium

Leinster Schools Junior Cup rugby is held at Donnybrook Stadium

Leinster Rugby play at RDS Arena

#### **Hampden Park, Glasgow (renovation)**

Houses the offices of the Scottish Football Association (SFA)

* Queen's Park F.C.
* Scotland national football team
* The Scottish Varsity football match
* Scottish Youth Cup final
* Scottish Irn Bru Schools Cup final
* Scottish Amateur Cup final

**Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh**

* Scotland national rugby team
* Edinburgh Rugby
* Scotland Nines
* The Scottish Varsity match
* Scottish Youth Rugby Cup final
* Scottish Rugby Schools' Cup final
* Boxing and MMA fights
* Concerts

**Other**

* Ban Single Use Plastic in Festivals/Stadia in the Britain
* Ban issuing fans Plastic Flags at Football Matches, instead use biogradable paper flags
* Anyone convicted of involvement in dog-fighting to receive a custodial sentence
* Ban fossil fuel sponsorship of all British culture, media and sport
* Banned racists for life from all sports matches in Australia, online or offline
* 48-week ban for racially abusing a player in GAA

**Sky Sports**

* Sunday Supplement is on Sky Sports 24
* Sky should use PiP (picture in picture) more. BT use it effectively to show the manager/benches reaction to goals and decisions etc.
* On 16 August 2017, Peter Beagrie was found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend
* On 11 March 2018 Carragher was sacked as Sky Sports pundit after spitting at a man and a 14-year old girl. Carragher was found guilty of common assault and was fine 125% of relevant weekly income [Band C] and 40 hours of unpaid work. The driver however was found guilty of using his mobile phone whilst driving resulting in 6 penalty points and a £200 fine
* £11.99 a month. Cut out the needless instant replays, cameras focusing on managers, benches and spectators, all while the game is in play. It's getting totally unwatchable on tv
* https://www.tvnewsroom.org/sky-sports/sky-sports-football-presenters-commentators-pundits-105736/
* https://www.theguardian.com/football/2000/apr/02/newsstory.sport6
* https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/11646860/sky-bt-sport-premier-league-all-access/
* https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bt-want-tv-cameras-in-dressing-rooms-fm7mhwqjt
* https://chelseasupporterstrust.com/wp-content/uploads/TV-fixtures-midweek-games-report.pdf
* Michael Johnson (played 1981 until 1999) - Sky Sports pundit on Derby matches. Manager as well
* Viv Anderson - Sky Sports pundit on Nottm Forest matches from 1996 until 2017.
* Kevin Campbell (played 1978 until 1997) - Sky Sports pundit on Nottingham Forest
* David James (played 1978 until 2003) - Sky Sports pundit 2004 until 2017 and manager
* Trevor Sinclair (played 1979 until 1998) – Manager and commentator
* Michael Ricketts (played 1986 until 2000) – Coach
* Darius Vassell (played 1988 until 2002) – Sky Sports pundit
* Carlton Palmer – Manager afterwards and Sky Sports pundit
* John Salako - Sky Sports correspondent 2006 until 2017
* Des Walker – Coach (Derby's academy coaching) and Pundit
* Michael Thomas
* Earl Barrett – Coach and ESPN-BT Sport pundit
* Mark Walters – Sky Sports pundit
* Gary Charles – Manager
* John Barnes – Manager, ITV & ESPN pundit. Channel 5 presenter
* Tony Daley – Fitness coach
* Ugo Ehiogu – Coach
* Stan Collymore – Commentator
* Andy Cole – Coach and Sky Sports pundit
* Emile Heskey – Pundit
* Kieron Dyer – Assistant Manager
* Andy Gray (switches with the white Andy Gray) – Manager afterwards
* https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8481021/Nitty-gritty-Sky-Sports-banned-list-words-supposed-links-slavery-broadcaster-orders-commentators-avoid-using-language-offend-viewers-emails-containing-list-prohibited-phrases.html
* Ross McFarlane is sentenced to 3 years in prison for downloading child porn (Possession of a Category A indecent image) on 30 January 2014. He was released on 30 January 2017

In March 2001 darts player Phil “The Power” Taylor was found guilty of indecent assault on 2 women in Dunfermline Sheriff Court, and sentenced in May 2001 to 10 years in prison per the Sexual Offences Act 1956, he would be released in May 2011.

**Premier League schedule**

[5 games in total played at Sunday 3pm]

1. Thursday 5.30pm
2. Thursday 7.30pm
3. Sunday 12.45pm
4. Sunday 5.30pm
5. Sunday 7.30pm
6. Monday 5.30pm
7. Monday 7.30pm

**Ref Mistakes against Swansea City**

1. The ball hits referee Mike Dean who incorrectly whistled for a indirect free-kick (should have been a drop ball), Liverpool scored the IFK immediately.
2. Defender trips himself and trips James in the penalty box, no pen was given despite a VAR review
3. Roberts
4. 2 yellows cards
5. Maguire neckhold onto Gwillym in the penalty box, penalty should have been given but it was not.
6. Swansea get an offside goal disallowed despite being onside
7. A handball in the build up of play that should have been ruled out but was not.

“Oh when the Jacks go sailing in”

* Wigan Warriors owner: Mike Danson (£1.17 billion)
* R. Griggs Group (Stephen Griggs) still owns Dr.Martens
* FIFA 2002
* Byron Park – Wealdstone FC
* Romford Greyhound Stadium converted into 4,300 football stadium for Romford FC.

## **Preventing football hooliganism/fan disorder**

* There needs to be changes towards normalising official attitudes towards football supporters, the end of blanket restrictive measures, and a return to tackling law-breakers rather than the majority of law-abiding fans.
* A more positive terrace culture with a degree of self policing seen as normal
* Abolition of ‘bubble matches’, which are unnecessary, draconian, and at base a means of punishing the innocent majority rather than the disorderly few
* End intrusive body searches of football fans entering stadia unless there is a known and specific risk
* The practice by police and stewards of filming football supporters, unless there is a known and specific threat to public order
* Sporting Events Control of Alcohol etc. Act 1985 is extended to all sport events played in a stadium (such as cricket, rugby, tennis etc.) not just football
* If a fan is convicted of fighting at a sports event this should fall under ‘affray’
* Reform control matches so that supporters groups can be involved in the decisions around matches, and have a meaningful input into how they are policed and stewarded
* Clearer rules and protocols for stewarding
* Permit rail seating (safe standing) in all sports stadiums
* Civil Football Banning Orders is extended to all sports however must be on the basis of a conviction
* Create an offence of “trespass on field of play at a designated sporting event without lawful authority or reasonable excuse to intimidate or threaten” otherwise pitch invasions should not a criminal offence, only against grounds regulations. Fans can come onto the pitch once all the opposing players, match officials and team officials have left the pitch.
* ‘Indecent’ or ‘Offensive’ chanting should not be a crime
* Scrap "Missile throwing” we have offence under other laws
* (“serious distress, serious annoyance, serious inconvenience or serious loss of amenity” is not added)
* Require schools to offer all sports to all children so they get the opportunity to take a sport that they feel comfortable with, rather than being expected to take certain sports because of their gender. This should help tackle sexism and increase participation.
* Lifetime bans on attending football matches for hooliganism and acts of violence against football players, stewards, and other members of the public
* Have liaison police officers patrol sport matches
* Banned the manufacture, import, sale and use of flares and pyrotechnic devices. Pyrotechnic devices are defined as “an article that contains explosive substances, or an explosive mixture of substances, designed to produce heat, light, sound, gas or smoke, or a combination of such effects, through self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions”. This includes smoke bombs, too. It is on offence for a person to enter or attempt to enter a sport or music event while in possession of a flare, smoke bomb or firework. The sentence for these offences can be as much as 3 months in prison
* Exception to this is the 'smoke device area', first 6 rows of a safe seating section, this ensures easy access with fire extinguishers, if needed. It also ensures that the smoke doesn’t stay under the roof, it instead disperses easily. A license is required to obtain a permit through the Fire Department which itself has many requirements such as insurance, type of device to be used, location of the device while it is used, who is actually using the device, fire extinguishers, training and a designated fire watch which is an individual whose sole job is to monitor the safe use of the smoke devices. There are also the league's and clubs' requirements that must be met; the type of smoke devices that are approved are done so for use only in specific areas, at specific times by specific individuals and this must all be listed in the permit package
* Improving spectators' awareness that they face stadium bans for using pyros/flares is also an area cited for improvement. There will also be clearer guidance for stewards on what to do should a device be spotted. Current official protocols say players, match officials, stewards, and emergency services should be "especially" seen to get at least 5 metres away from devices if they are set off
* Spot checks increased around sports grounds or music venues
* Throwing or kicking flares and/or pyrotechnic devices back into a crowd will result in the player or team official sent off with a red card, coming under the banner of violent conduct
* Fans who throw cold pyro or smoke bomb onto the pitch will result in their immediate ejection and stadium ban.
* Clubs will be fined £50,000 if supporters use flares and/or pyrotechnic devices, if it happens a 2nd time the club will be ordered to close part of the stadium, a 3rd time will result in the next 3 home games played only to the away fans.
* Clubs will be fined if supporters invade the pitch and ordered to close part of the stadium, do it again will result in the next 3 home games played only to the away fans, do it a 3rd time and it is behind close doors for 6 home games and points deduction.
* The FA and clubs throughout the EPL, EFL and National League will be supporting a new campaign on the dangers of pyrotechnics by running adverts in their grounds and on club media like programmes and websites. The campaign, which features posters parodying football chants, also has an online presence www.facepyrofacts.co.uk. There are real-life examples of how pyrotechnics are not, as pyro users attest, ‘innocent fun’, but can have serious repercussions. Among the facts revealed in the advertising are that it is illegal to enter a football ground with a pyro and that supporters risk jail and banning orders even for being in possession of one. Flares are used for marine distress and are designed not to be extinguished easily or quickly. They contain chemicals and burn at temperatures of 1600°C, the melting point of steel. Smoke bombs are mainly used recreationally in paintballing and war games, but these also burn at high temperatures and are designed to be used in wide open spaces. They are dangerous for those with asthma or breathing difficulties and can cause panic in a tightly packed crowd. They are not designed for use in confined spaces and it is illegal to enter a football stadium with one and set it off
* The exception to this are cold pyros [source, 2], they are legal and allowed.
* Conduct random drug swabbing
* 5-year sports bans if convicted of selling or taking drugs at matches. In a bid to prevent violence and disruption, anyone convicted could also be ordered to surrender their passports when their team is playing abroad.
* Wembley has an effective physical barrier to reduce the likelihood of a mass pitch invasion.
* Stopping football violence must be accompanied by peer pressure, i.e. informal social control by friends and drinking companions enforcing certain limits of behaviour
* Have players, parents and coaches sign a code of sportsmanship so everyone involved in the sport is responsible for preventing violence. Define what the consequences are and ensure that everyone understands when the line from aggressive play to violence has been crossed. Parents and coaches need to be an example of good sportsmanship for young players.
* Enforce consequences to make it clear that you don't tolerate violence. When participants realize that their actions have consequences that may affect their future, sports violence can be prevented. You need to ensure that consequences are more than a slap on the wrist in order to deter participants from engaging in violent behaviour.
* Hand out guidelines or communicate with spectators what you consider violent and the ramifications of a violent act. 1 major source of sports violence is known as Hooliganism, which occurs when fans take actions that can cause harm such as rushing a field after a victory.
* Spread values of healthy competition and sportsmanship within the cultures of football fans, rather than tribalism and antagonism
* Others have pushed for the use of more positive incentives, such as rewarding clubs or fan groups that spread positive values, in a sort of carrot and stick approach
* Ban football hooliganism firms and tackle it. Found out where organized street fights are, and stop it by arresting them for battery and affray. The person organizing it should be arrested and charged with affray
* Teach kids sportsmanship by emphasizing that a sport is fun to play and that the outcome of the game isn't the most important aspect. You can enroll your kids in non-competitive sports where there isn't a score. Encourage players to recognize the talent of opposing players and avoid behaviour like chatter or heckling.
* Use law officials. Police officers have the authority to stop violence and maintain control of sporting events. The presence of law officials prevents sports violence by reminding participants that there are consequences for violence.
* Build relationships between specialist Operational Football Officers and groups of supporters
* Intelligence-based community policing
* Actually enforce the law, "A large crowd gathered outside Anfield and attacked the City bus as it approached the ground. Despite a large police presence and extensive video taken from inside and outside the bus, Merseyside Police failed to identify anyone who could have broken the law and no arrests were made." This is unacceptable.
* Create a centralised Premier League security and stewarding department. Properly trained staff with consultants and front line staff who liaise with clubs matchday officials to provide and advise adequate fan supervision and make sure stadiums remain a safe and enjoyable environment
* Punishments have to be beefed up. Clubs have to extend stadium bans but also to push for criminal prosecution against offenders. The authorities also have to look at punishing clubs who do not do enough. The threat of fines and, ultimately, a points deduction would concentrate minds and fans should have to sign a charter to agree to a minimum standard of behaviour if they do not want this to happen.
* Clubs need to recruit more experienced, better-trained stewards and to do that they have to pay them properly. There needs to be a national standard in ability and wages.
* Limit alcohol of sports fans to 6 drinks a day. Restaurants and bars will also have a limit of 3 drinks per customer
* Successful crowd management, based on friendly-but-firm policing (rather than emphasising force), realistic tolerance limits (rather than “zero-tolerance” approaches) and genuine communication and fan engagement is the best way to ensure that even a crowd containing drunken fans and known troublemakers will not engage in rioting.
* Improved steward training that could include teaching stewards how to gather evidence of violence and anti-social behaviour, increased their pay and be covered by comprehensive health insurance.
* Introduce a no-drinking zone
* More police dogs
* Films such as Green Street and The Football Factory (capitalise on our continuing fascination with “firms”) will be removed, while all films and books that glorify or praise football hooliganism will be removed also
* The "Love Football, Stop Hooliganism" campaign
* Incentivising young fans to attend football matches; make costs cheaper and give out rewards whilst playing video games
* Ensure the police does not go in heavy handed
* Pre-determined escorts and exit routes should also be implemented, to ensure offenders are kept away from targets
* Clubs have been told to identify 'highest threat areas' to protect players and officials and to ensure they have clear roles and plans for clearing the pitch 'in a safe, controlled manner'.
* Fans can also expect to hear consistent messaging warning them of the consequences of running onto the pitch
* Set up social enterprise and employ hooligans to clean stadiums
* FA launch 'Don't Be That Idiot' campaign in crackdown on rising threat of hooliganism in English game
* EFL will launch a new 'For Football's Sake' campaign in a bid to crack down on the rise in hooliganism at matches - with images calling for fans to behave to be displayed at grounds and on social media
* FSA Faircop: We need to talk about stewarding
* New guidelines for sentencing football hooligans and rioters have just been revealed
* British police impressed with the efforts of their Russian counterparts to stamp out football hooliganism
* Proposed tougher licensing laws, quick prosecutions and exemplary sentences, and improved policing procedures

**Crowd control**

* Walk-through metal detectors
* Implement crowd control barricades; Use fence panels and panel screens to route fans to designated entrances and exits. Custom printing and graphics on fence screens give your venue a professional appearance, direct foot and vehicle traffic to access points and provide valuable and required safety information
* Employ SONCO man gates and temporary vehicle gates for areas off-limits to fans and the general public. When you’re hosting a concert or stage event, trust Guardian hinged gates and Snake Runner barriers to give technicians access for sound and lighting equipment — all while keeping stage perimeters intact.
* Bike rack barricades for entrance queues & check-in points
* Stanchions & posts to manage concession lines
* First aid signs & safety cordons
* Stage barriers for concerts & rallies
* Retractable belt barriers to discourage fan access to the playing floor
* Large plastic banners to advertise meets, fundraisers & intra-mural sports
* Event tents & flags to mark the start & finish of races or fun runs
* Custom banners & directional signs that lead the way toward parking lots & vendor booths
* Uniform, attractive covered barricades to secure stadium entrances & line walkways
* Discreet fence covers to block access and keep prying eyes from equipment & staging areas
* Secure parking lots and vehicle drop-off points with jersey barriers and toppers. Schedule frequent and regular security patrols before, during and after the game or event. Make sure lighting, remote cameras and digital recorders are functional and in use

### **Fan coaching**

With this in mind, in the late 1980s Belgium's Standard Liege club decided to educate supporters on appropriate behaviour, setting up a programme known as "fan coaching".

Mimicked in several other countries, it emphasises respecting the opposition and referee and accepting defeat without violence.

Layton calls this technique "diversion", teaching young people who play and watch football to hold better values. It includes talks from star players and reformed hooligans, who can tell young people that violence leads to injuries and criminal records.

Layton thinks the best way to get this message across is to enforce the law. Twenty people have been arrested over the Marseille violence, but he thinks this isn't enough.

"Lots of people have got away with it," he says. "I would have thought, with CCTV cameras, the police would have caught a lot more.

"There needs to be speedy justice in these cases. A lot of football hooligans think that because they're in a group they're anonymous. We have to show them that they're not.“

https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2018-06-22-social-bonding-key-cause-football-violence

### Casey review recommendations

**1. I recommend that the Government considers a new category for football matches of national significance**: The majority of partners treated the Euro final as another match albeit a significant one, rather than an event of national significance. As a result, the security arrangements surrounding the final were underpowered and public safety was not given the prominence it deserved. In the future, there should be a new category for football matches of national significance, with the SGSA, police, and other key partners setting out what steps should be taken for such matches. This could include:

* A maximalist police (and other agencies with enforcement powers) resourcing and deployment plan
* The establishment of a sterile area within Zone Ex which is restricted to ticket- holders
* More robust governance arrangements including an independent checkpoint as part of the process
* Enhanced enforcement of bans on alcohol consumption on public transport and in other designated public spaces

The prospect of new legislation is welcome and timely as it gives the Government the opportunity to update the legal framework that governs spectator safety which has not been significantly reviewed since the Hillsborough tragedy

**2. I recommend that the Government consider tasking the Building Safety Regulator to work with the FA and the event industry to undertake a review of stewarding:** Building Safety Regulator should undertake review and research the current challenges faced by live sporting events in securing sufficient numbers of trained stewards and provide guidance to the sector on how public safety can be assured. A range of wider factors, including the pandemic (which prompted many experienced stewards to find new vocations) and global supply chain challenges, have created significant workforce challenges for the stewarding sector. It is important that the implications of these shortages are understood for the wider events sector. The Building Safety Regulator should work with key partners (including the FA and British Crowd Management Association (BCMA) to understand the particular factors in play here and their implications for the longer-term sustainability of the stewarding role at major sports events. That, in turn, should inform wider considerations within the Government and the sector itself.

**3. The Building Safety Regulator, the events industry, the police and local government agree on a way forward on who is accountable for Zone Ex:** There should be clear accountability for public safety in Zone Ex. The question of who was responsible for public safety on Olympic Way was a contributing factor to the inability to deal with the disorder seen in the build-up to kick-off. The police and stadium operators have for many years contested the issue of who is responsible for safety and security in Zone Ex (the area of public space outside the stadium used by supporters) and the financing of it remains a contested issue. This should be resolved. The Building Safety Regulator should review the provisions of the 1975 Safety of Sports Grounds Act, together with its oversight powers and any associated guidance for local authorities, to determine if they are still fit for purpose, particularly in relation to the control and management of Zone Ex.

**4. I ask that The FA - as the governing body that oversees football - lead a national campaign to bring about a sea-change in attitudes towards supporter behaviours:** The appalling behaviour of supporters on Euro Sunday should be a wake-up call for us all. For too long, the actions of a minority of England fans have been tolerated as a part of our national culture (albeit an embarrassing one), rather than confronted head-on. The FA and Wembley, working with others, should step up action on eradicating such behaviours from football, including:

* Refusing to allow entry to fans who arrive chanting foul abuse and/ or are clearly under the influence of alcohol and/ or drugs
* Stricter enforcement (with police support) against those behaving badly inside the stadium, with consideration given to ejections also leading to an automatic exclusion and ban from all football grounds (not just Wembley)
* More proactive engagement with the Football Safety Officers Association around intelligence-sharing, particularly with regards to fan behaviours
* A considerable step-up action again to stamp out racism by the FA, FAPL and EFL
* Appoint the Football Supporters Association (supported by the FA) to a leading role in working with fans and others to eradicate these behaviours

**5. I recommend that the Government consider strengthening the penalties for football-related disorder, particularly behaviours which recklessly endanger lives and these penalties should be well understood and robustly enforced:** The existing enforcement mechanisms available to the police and other enforcement officers do not offer enough deterrent against those determined to use the cover of football matches to commit criminal offences. Tailgating, for example, should become a criminal offence. Sanctions for those breaking into football stadiums and/ or recklessly endangering lives is weak. It is welcomed by the Review that the Prime Minister has committed to making it possible to obtain a football banning order against a person convicted of online racist offences. In light of expert advice provided to this Review by Daniel Greenberg CB, we recommend that the Home Office considers options for strengthening the legal framework surrounding football-related disorder, with a particular focus on addressing the weaknesses and gaps identified in this Review. Specifically, the Home Office should consider:

* Ensuring that the FBO regime to ensure drugs-related disorderly behaviour is treated in the same way as alcohol-related disorder
* Identifying a suitable legislative mechanism for deterring the practice of tailgating, such as through an expanded FBO regime or through the application of PNDs
* Identifying a suitable legislative mechanism for a new offence of endangering public safety in a stadium through reckless behaviour, such as interfering with emergency doors, triggering fire alarms or damaging barriers and other safety infrastructure, with penalties comparable to those for endangering the safety of an aircraft
* Greater urgency to introduce the Online Safety Bill should be given as it is a real opportunity to stiffen penalties for racism and hate speech online **[Not accepted]**

**6. Recommendations specifically for the FA/Wembley and key partners:** The FA and Wembley should strengthen plans for safety both physical and human, ahead of any matches or events of significant risk. This should include but not be limited to:

* The physical fences and means of separating and filtering unticketed fans from those with legitimate access.
* Particular attention should be made to ensuring those entering through gates provided for wheelchair users and other more vulnerable members of society are not endangered by the reckless actions of others.
* A staff survey of all those involved with security, stewarding and safety on Euro Sunday so the FA can be doubly sure their views are taken into any future changes
* Security plans should be regularly peer reviewed by experienced safety and security professionals to ensure rigour
* The incoming Chair of the FA should take steps to be sure that she and the Board have suitable oversight of safety and security at Wembley Stadium

A more joined up approach between Wembley and the MPS is required to managing public safety on match-days, including joint tasking and debriefing of operational teams

The key partners represented on the Wembley SAG, most notably the MPS, the FA and Brent Council, need to make a concerted effort to proactively solicit and listen to each other’s concerns and avoid any single agency from becoming too dominant

## **Gender based violence in football**

* FA and Premier League urged to help tackle gender-based violence
* Letting clubs suspend players suspected of abusive behaviour (domestic abuse, sexual violence or child abuse) without pay
* If proven, they will be banned for life
* Mandatory training for staff at every level on gender-based violence
* Appoint a commissioner to investigate and take action on cases where players are suspected of abuse
* A charter outlining minimum standards
* Clear sexual misconduct policies including disciplinary procedures
* Prevention programmes in academies.

## **England fans abroad**

Restricted to just 6 drinks a day. Bans:

* Happy hours;
* Pub crawls;
* 2-for-1-drink offers;
* Sale of alcohol in shops between 9.30pm and 8am;
* Advertising party boats in designated areas. Advertising party boats and balcony jumping could attract a £50,000 fine

Cracking down on littering, fining anyone who leaves rubbish

All Airlines must ban alcohol

## **Charter on how football must tackle the dementia crisis**

**Increased funding from the FA and PFA for independent research into dementia and its links to football, including £250,000 to facilitate another 2 years of the FIELD study.**

Within hours of our contacting the PFA for comment, funding for an extra year for the ground-breaking field study, which found ex-players were three-and-a-half times more likely to die of a neurodegenerative disease and five times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s, was announced.

The study, also backed by the FA, will come to an end in four months, but vital research will remain ongoing under Professor Willie Stewart at the University of Glasgow and elsewhere.

**The PFA to provide respite for families/carers of former professional footballers living with dementia.**

**The PFA to appoint a dedicated ‘dementia team’ and work with, promote and financially assist Alzheimer’s Society’s Sport United Against Dementia campaign and Dementia Connect Support Line.**

**The PFA to help fund regular social events for people living with dementia and their carers.**

In January, the PFA took major steps towards addressing these points in a major victory for the campaign — but more importantly a significant move which could help those in dire need.

In a wide-ranging statement, the union announced that a dedicated dementia department was to be created, which would assist in working with families and providing regular events for those living with dementia and vital respite for their carers.

Tireless campaigner Dawn Astle, whose father, former England and West Bromwich striker Jeff, was the first footballer to be diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) — a type of dementia associated with repeated head impacts — following his death, was among those appointed as an adviser.

**Dementia to be formally recognised as an industrial disease.**

While there is hope north of the border — with Scottish MPs calling for change, as this newspaper reports — there is a way to go for those with dementia to be able to claim disability benefits, with the industrial disease investigation ongoing.

**Football’s lawmakers, FIFA, to immediately ratify temporary concussion replacements.**

The Premier League have been trialling permanent concussion subs since February. But experts believe that temporary subs allow medics sufficient time to assess whether players should return to the pitch and that permanent subs may lead to a reluctance in players to leave the field of play.

Concussion replacements will be introduced, a player will temporarily come off the pitch for 12 minutes and have a HIA. A 10 match ban for anyone found abusing it and minimum of a 7 day rest period for anyone coming off for a concussion. An independent doctor/independent neurologist will make the assessment. Medical personnel on the sidelines or in the stands to review moments of play on video via tablet playback, either incidents that have just occurred or incidents they potentially missed and want closer inspection of.

If HIA1 immediate removal criteria (Criteria 1) are identified, the player is permanently removed from play without further evaluation. If there are no Criteria 1 signs identified and agreed, the player undergoes the off-field assessment supported by the screening tool. The final use of video is a review after the off-field assessment, where video is again reviewed prior to a player being returned to play.

**Replace heading practice at all levels including professional to virtual reality.**

Virtual reality to be used for heading training

**Heading**

Heading (VR the exception) is banned in training for players under the age of 18. The rules also instruct not to over-inflate the football when introducing heading in training, instead using the lowest pressure allowed, the guidance also sets out required ball sizes for training and matches for each age group

New PFA sessions offer ex players help loneliness depression

## **Plan to tackle racism and discrimination in cricket**

* Listen, care and educate - the setting up of of a standardised approach to handling complaints, promoting the aims of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket and providing all who work in cricket with ongoing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) education.
* Address dressing-room culture - publish a full review of dressing-room culture in all professional teams, reassess player and coach education.
* Remove barriers in the talent pathway - improve support for people from diverse backgrounds, identify talent from non-traditional backgrounds.
* Create welcoming environments for all - full-scale review into crowd behaviour at professional matches, ensure venues are welcoming to all faiths and cultures, upgrade education in recreational cricket.

## **Tackling racism and discrimination in sports**

* Jail time for inciting racial hatred
* Ban for life watching said sport
* £100,000 fine
* Name & shame
* Education programme is available following some offences and the offender must admit the transgression before continuing
* Automatic 9 points deduction for clubs who racially abuse players.
* A 1-strike protocol: Walk off pitch after racist abuse of player and abandon the match. Play can continue behind closed doors with the guilty team fined and told to play matches behind closed doors.
* Sport athlete that racially abuses another player will be suspended from all said sporting-related activity for a minimum 10 games globally and fined £100,000, could be banned for up to a 2 years

## **British football pyramid**

The Premier Reserve League started out in 1999, replacing The Central League in the north and The Football Combination in the south as the top level of reserve-team football, although those competitions continued for lower-level teams and from 2004 to 2005, the regional champions would play-off for the title.

Reserve level

* Premier Reserve League
* The Central League
* Premier Reserve Cup (Reserve equivalent of the FA Youth Cup)
* Premier League International Cup (Reserve equivalent of the UEFA Youth League)

U19 level

* Premier League U19
* Football League Youth Alliance
* FA Youth Cup
* UEFA Youth League

**U19 Competition format**

The competition plays similar to the Premier League with same amount of teams, starting at in mid-August and play a double round robin. The team that finishes top are declared the champions. The bottom three teams are relegated to the Football League Youth Alliance and the top 4 teams qualify for the UEFA Youth League.

### **Rangers administration**

On 13 February 2012, Rangers filed legal papers at the Court of Session giving notice of their intention to appoint administrators. Rangers officially entered administration on the following day, appointing London-based financial advisers Duff & Phelps as administrators. Rangers entered administration over an alleged non-payment of £9m in PAYE and VAT taxes to HM Revenue and Customs. The SPL deducted Rangers 10 points for entering administration. Though Rangers avoided having Celtic win the championship at Ibrox on 25 March by winning the game 3–2, Rangers ultimately finished 20 points behind Celtic in 2nd place. A failure then to submit accounts for 2011 meant the club was not granted a licence to play in European football in seasons 2012–13 and 2013–14. In April it was revealed that the club's total debts could be as high as £134m. Rangers were stripped of their UEFA club licence as the complex criteria was not met. The administrator agreed to brake up Rangers’ assets and sell them off separately and then done a deal with fans to buy them. All players were put up for sale at the end of the 2011–12 season to alleviate funds as well as sale and leaseback Rangers Training Ground for £14 million and sale and leaseback of Ibrox for £23 million (with £1.8 million rent annually) both to Mike Ashley. Rangers also sold Steven Naismith for £2.5million to WBA saving £20,000 week wages, sold Kyle Lafferty to FC Sion for £3 million, Lee Wallace, Steven Whittaker and Maurice Edu were sold also, made non-playing staff redundant (£971,386), made playing staff redundant (£443,546), sold players saving of £570,595; marketed playing staff with a sale value of £19,704,883 and obtained a higher price for the business £25 million.

On 13 May it was revealed that Whyte sold his interest in Rangers to Sevco Scotland Ltd, a consortium led by Charles Green. The Rangers Football Club plc was renamed to RFC 2012 P.L.C. and moved its address to Edinburgh, effectively freeing up its original title. The Rangers Football Club plc was created (the name previously used before RFC 2012 P.L.C.) and took over ownership of Rangers, keeping Rangers history, name and golden share of membership to the SPL whilst liquidating RFC 2012 P.L.C.

Rangers offered those owed cash a reduced payment deal funded by a £8.5m loan made by prospective Rangers' owner Charles Green in exchange for a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), in an attempt to exit administration. This was granted, saving the club from liquidation and keeping the club in the SPL. However the SPL handed them a 30 point deduction, starting the 2012–13 season on -30 points for entering the season without a CVA, the SFA handed them a 1-year transfer ban and fine of £250,000. Then manager Ally McCoist had to essentially start almost from scratch. Rangers would finish bottom of 2012–13 SPL and suffered a double defeat against rivals Celtic 5-0 at Celtic Park and 5-1 at Ibrox.

Rangers finished a disappointed 3rd the following season (2013–14) in the Scottish Second Division and were knocked out of the play-off final. They would win the Scottish First Division title the following season (2014–15) to return to the SPL. They would finish 6th in their first season back (2015–16) at the SPL and again suffered a double defeat against rivals Celtic losing 5-1 at Celtic Park and 2-0 at Ibrox. They would finish 3rd a season later (2016–17) and suffered a double defeat for the 3rd time against rivals Celtic losing 2-0 at Celtic Park and 2-3 at Ibrox.

### **Macclesfield Town financial issues**

Macclesfield Town had previously had issues with player and staff wages not being paid on time. In early 2018, off-pitch financial issues meant players were not paid for three months, with some players threatening to boycott the Cambridge game. Six players issued a winding-up order against the club but Department for International Trade and Revenue (non-ministerial department) ruled against them saying it would 'destroy' the club's history.

However in 2018/19 players again went unpaid, seeking help from the EFL – which, in November, began a formal investigation into the club's failure to pay its players. A strike by first team players over the unpaid wages jeopardised Macclesfield's FA Cup 5th Round tie against non-league Kingstonian at the Moss Rose on 9 November 2019, but the club fulfilled the fixture, fielding 6 youth team players and 5 loanees, losing the tie 4–0 amid protests from Macclesfield supporters, many of whom boycotted the game.

As some players remained unpaid, they said they would not play in the 16 November Division 2 fixture against Mansfield Town unless paid by 6pm GMT on 15 November. Most were paid so the game went ahead. 2 weeks later, Macclesfield players again told the club's owner they would not train, or play on 7 December against Crewe Alexandra, if owed wages were not paid. The game was officially postponed on 6 December. The 21 December fixture against Plymouth Argyle was postponed due to a Moss Rose ground safety issue, as the entire security team were not paid.

By March players and coaching staff once again remained unpaid and have been so since the Mansfield Town match. Players were fed up of 'broken promises' and being unpaid despite signing professional contracts with the club and prematurely ended their contracts with Macclesfield Town. The youth team players also were unpaid and they too told the club's owner they would not train or play anymore. Mark Yates and his coaching staff all resigned, before they were suppose to play an important relegation battle against Stevenage, in frustration with the club's financial position. The Football League awarded the next 8 games to Macclesfield's opponents a 3-0 victory (the default score for a forfeit victory),

Macclesfield Town were officially relegated to the Vanarama Division 4 finishing 2nd from bottom. Macclesfield supporters set up a hardship fund, raising over £11,000 to provide short-term financial emergency support for players and non-playing staff, Silkmen Supporters' Trust provided a loan of £10,000 as well as being purchased by Joe Sealey who managed to clear debts and pay the creditors, saving Macclesfield Town from a winding-up order and liquidation.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/18404738.bolton-wanderers-retain-historic-name-despite-company-liquidation/

## **Project Big Picture**

They also need to decrease the disparity of payments between each league which will increase the revenue to the clubs and introduce a salary effective cap on all salaries to all players across each division. Players in the top leagues generate a far greater income from image rights and social media advertising (see CR7's salary from each).

Also a bigger financial incentive should be given in cups matches where a lower league team beats higher opposition.

That for starters would help level the playing field and increase revenues directly by the football league. There are ways and means for a greater injection of prize money to the clubs but the FA would rather see the premier league expanded than look at lower league and grassroots football.

* Distributing TV revenues between EPL and Championship (and Championship to League 1)
* Parachute payments are scrapped
* Distributing revenues between all Championship teams
* Premier League executive provided with full access to clubs accounting information to investigate cost controls
* Joint EPL and Championship body to monitor cost controls
* Capping wage-to-revenue to 60%
* Solidarity payments to the EFL from the Premier League increase from 4% to 25%
* Premier League and EFL domestic and international media rights sold collective by the Premier League
* An increase of 66% in annual contributions to good causes in England
* A total of 5% of EPL's gross income to be contributed annually to good causes and grassroots football
* A £20 cap on EPL away match ticket
* Subsidiarized EPL away travel
* Safe standing section from 2020 Seat. However safety standards should be the same requirement as with regular building standards. For instance, under building regulations, crush barriers must be a minimum height of 1.1m to prevent people falling over them. And ensure that the following DON'T happen: "each row is lined up directly behind the next. This means fans have their sightlines restricted and makes them more likely to move along rows and cause further risks of falling or creating blockages on exits and gangways"
* Away sections must permit at least 3,000/8% of capacity, whichever is higher
* Infrastructure funding of 6% of EPL's gross income
* Each club will receive £100 per seat annually
* Infrastructure funding can only be used for stadia and fan experience
* £350,000,000 to EFL and FA
* £50,000,000 to the EFL
* Up to £200,000,000 to the EFL
* £100,000,000 in grants, make up of £55,000,000 to cover operational, £25,000,000 for the EFL, £10,000,000 for the Championship and £10,000,000 for grassroots

Ending the Unfair Loan Market

## **Team disciplinary**

The fines should be on a pro-rata level — to restore some fairness to football’s punishment systems. The money should then be ploughed into the game at a grassroots level. It could provide more funds for an area of the game that needs them. And it could restore fairness to the game.

* **Fail to exit via a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA)**: Teams will be deducted 25 points.
* **Administration:** The club will be docked 12 points (9 points in the Premier League and Championship). Any club entering administration after the 4th Thursday in March would have their point deduction suspended until the following season. If the club is relegated the points will be deducted from their tally at the start of next season. If the club stays up the 10 points will be taken off their final total. The administrators will be personally responsible for the legal fees that are required to make an appeal and will adding a further 6 point deduction for a frivolous case of appeal. Clubs in administration do not play in European competition. points deduction is used to preserve the integrity of the league and act as a deterrent to clubs entering administration to clear their debts without any real repercussions.
* **Financial irregularities:** A team will be docked points (or more if more serious) and fined on a pro-rata level, also the players that are part of the financial irregularities must not be used
* **SCMP (another source) breaches:** Any club that are deemed to have breached the permitted spending threshold will be hit with a transfer embargo and must immediately select a match squad to play which complies with the rules, so they will have to drop several high earners and replace with cheaper players that in theory would be affordable. If a team commits a 2nd SCMP breach, at a point they're found guilty (i.e. the posting of the figures which highlight the breach of rules), they look at the season to that point and take the number of wins so far, and remove the value of half of the wins they have had up to that point, for example, a team has 10 wins, they are docked 15 points (May seem harsh, but they are effectively being punished for having players they can’t afford, and that lead to a breach of SCMP. So it seems only fair they aren’t allowed all of the points gained winning by cheating) they will also be fined on a pro-rata level. If a 3rd SCMP breach is committed that team is demoted to the next lower division. Introduce the carrot as well as the stick. Replace the parachute payment by consolidating this into a financial fair play fund. Base this on a tier system, ie if you are break even or better you receive x% of the fund as a reward. Small losses can occur however you would receive a lower% of the reward fund. Anything over a certain loss would receive nothing. Fines for offending clubs could be attributed into this fund as well. Work out a system where this can be replicated through the league pyramid. A club should never be allowed to sell off their ground to support transfer ambition. Clubs should be forced to hold a majority holding in their grounds. Special dispensation should be sought for ground shares.
* **Match fixing:** If a team is found guilty of match fixing (whether it's bribing a referee or bribing their opposing team) will result in automatic demotion and a 6 point deduction for the season after and fined on a pro-rata level. All those involved will be banned from footballing activities for life and will also be handed over to the police for an investigation of Section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005 (imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks and fined)
* **Fielding an ineligible player:** If a team fields an ineligible player (including a suspended player) then that match will be replayed in full and the offending team will be fined on a pro-rata level. If it's not possible then the opponent will be awarded a 3-0 victory.
* **Pitch invasion:** A pitch invasion that forces the abandonment of the match or a fan runs onto the pitch and hits a match/team official or player, will result in the team being fined on a pro-rata level, and play the next 3 game to no home fans, away fans will be allowed inside.
* **Bring the game into disrepute:** Any incident that brings a game into disrepute will result in the club being fined on a pro-rata level and a possible points deduction
* **Not fulfilling a fixture:** Any match that was within control of a club that was postponed without permission will be treated as a forfeit and thus the opposing team will win 3-0 and the team will be fined.
* **Failing to pay their players on time:** 1st offence carries a suspended 3-point deduction, but that deduction is imposed straight away if the club do not report the missed salary payment to the EFL, and the Professional Footballers’ Association does so instead. There is then a sliding scale of a 6-point automatic deduction for a 2nd offence, self-reported by the club, with a further 4 points for a 3rd offence. That would mean a total of 10 points docked for three instances of failing to pay players and up to a 13-point deduction if the club have not reported them to the EFL.
* **Regulation 53 – Self-Reporting of Unpaid Player salary:** A new requirement for Clubs to self-report instances of non-payment of player wages has been introduced to reflect the views of both the League and its Clubs that non-payment of salary obligations is a serious breach of Regulations. With immediate effect Clubs must now notify the League within two working days of the due date if they have failed to meet their financial obligations to a player or players. Any Club in default of payments to players will, as is the case currently, be subject to an immediate registration embargo. If a Club defaults on payments, it will be able to accept a sanction by way of an ‘Agreed Decision,’ which must be ratified by an Independent Chair in accordance with EFL Regulations. Alternatively, the Club can elect to have the matter determined by a full Independent Disciplinary Commission. New sanctioning guidelines have also been introduced, ranging from a suspended sporting sanction to multiple points deductions. Today’s changes follow a comprehensive review by the League and its Clubs into instances of non-payment and will allow any alleged misconduct to be addressed in a timely manner without requiring prior notification of breaches from the Professional Footballers’ Association.

Perhaps more creative policing and stewarding and normalising matchday contact would take the sting out of a venomous fixture. Good stewarding is crucial, placing the onus of protecting players on part-time employees with relatively little training is wrong however fine the team as well as give them a 3 points deduction and play the next game behind closed doors.

## **Player/Team official disciplinary panel**

### **Professional Game Match Officials Limited**

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) is owned by GBFA, and the body responsible for match officials in English professional football, it was formed when English referees became professional in 2001, to provide officials for all games played in the Premier League, Championship, Football League and Football Association (FA) competitions. The organisation is funded by the FAPL, Football League, and the FA. The Select Group Referees primarily officiate in the Premier League, Championship, Football League Cup, and FA Cup and will also occasionally referee in the Football League.

#### **Evaluation**

The Select Group Referees meet 2 per month for training sessions and analysis of match videos and data.

The PGMOL have their own sports scientists, sports psychologists, physiotherapists, sprint coaches, podiatrists and vision scientists which mirror football clubs to help improve referee performance. Technology is used as an aid too: detailed performance analysis is supported by Opta, which provides statistical data on each match.

Every PGMOL referee is evaluated by a former senior referee to measure their technical performance, along with fellow players and managers (match delegates) who assess accuracy and consistency of their decision making and management of their game.

Select Groups are placed into 3 groups:\*Select Group 1 – Officiate Premier League, Championship and the occasional Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 matches.  Some of Select Group 1 are FIFA/UEFA referees and referee Champions League, UEFA Cup and UEFA Cup Winners Cup matches

* Select Group 2 – Officiate Division 1 matches and occasionally Division 2 and Division 3 games.  Select Group 2 can also operate as 4th officials at Premier League or Championship matches.
* Select Group 3 – Officiates Division 2, Division 3 matches and are occasionally 4th officials in the Championship or Division One
* National Group – Officiate Division 4 and Division 5 matches and are occasionally 4th officials in the Division 2 or Division 3.

### **Player disciplinary process**

Each round of a football matches, each match is reviewed in full by a member of the Panel to identify incidents which should be considered by the Panel. These incidents are then considered by the Panel on the Monday after the Saturday and Sunday games, Tuesday after Monday games and the Panel decide what action should be taken in relation to the relevant player(s).

If a Club wishes to bring any incidents of alleged misconduct to the attention of the Panel they must notify the Compliance Manager by: (a) in the case of a players, no later than 10.00am on the first working day after the incident.

The MRP members in turn run through each incident on a large TV screen in real-time. The MRP then discuss the incident in depth, with the different members of the Panel bringing their unique perspective on the matter at hand. The MRP will use all camera angles available and will watch the clips multiple times, including in slow motion, in order to come to a decision. The MRP also have access to an online archive containing clips of every offence which has been charged over the last few seasons. This assists the Panel in making consistent decisions. It is helpful to the MRP that the referees wear microphones, which allows the panel to hear the dialog between the referee, the touch judges and players. This can be particularly helpful when the MRP are trying to understand why a referee took a particular course of action during the game.

In relation to each incident the Match Review Panel consider, the Panel has the following options:

* Charge the Player with On Field Misconduct (an “Offence”). In which case for cases graded 1-3, a Penalty Notice will be issued, or for cases graded 4-6 (or in exceptional 1-3 grade cases) the matter will be referred to the Operational Rules Tribunal for determination.

The grades and normal suspension range for each grade are listed below:

 2
 3
 4
 5
 6

* Caution the Player – in which case, subject to the Player’s right of appeal to an Operational Rules Tribunal, the Caution will be placed on the Player’s record
* Decide there is no case to answer (in which case the Panel may still send the Player a warning/advice letter)

The Tribunal is independent and usually formed of 3 members.  One of the members acts as the chairperson and is legally qualified, with the other members often being former professional players.  The Tribunal hears evidence from the Compliance Manager on behalf of the GBFA and from the player or their representative. Hearings of the Operational Rules Tribunal (“hearings”) take place at around 5pm the day after the MRP have met.

 DOGSO including outfield player denies the opposing team a goal with a handball
 Serious Foul Play
 Received a 2 yellow cards
 Entering the video operating room
 Inciting a brawl
 Spitting
 Striking a match official

#### **Player response**

A straight red card can be overturned if an appeal is lodged with the GBFA and a the Operational Rules Tribunal decides. In the event of a successful appeal, the suspension will be cancelled or downgrade the offence. But an unsuccessful appeal a ban can be increased by 1 a 'frivolous' appeal. Appeals can't be lodged in the event of a 2 yellow cards, apart from in cases of mistaken identity.

The ‘Chairperson will read the charges that the player has been charged with . The player or his representative will then either:

* Admit the Offence (and the Grading of the Offence)
* Admit the Offence and challenge the Grading of the Offence; or
* Deny the offence

The Compliance Manager then presents the case to the Panel, including playing the footage of the incident, after which the player or his representative will present the Player’s case, which usually also includes highlighting key issues on the footage. Players “are entitled to provide further footage of the incident for which they have been charged. Footage must be submitted to the Operations department before the hearing. Footage of other incidents shall not normally be permitted.”

The Compliance Manager is then given a chance to respond to the Player’s submissions and the player or his representative will be given the opportunity to respond to the Compliance Manager’s submissions. The Player and his representative will be “given the final word".8 If the Player denies the offence was committed the Chairperson will ask the Player and his representative and the Compliance Manager to leave the room. The Chairperson and side members then discuss the evidence that has been put forward. At this point the technical expertise of the side members became apparent, as did the professional experience of the Chairperson, as a Chairperson and judge, in analysis and applying the rules of the game to give the subject of the hearing a fair hearing.

Once the decision has been reached all parties are invited back into the hearing room.

When all the parties are back in the hearing the Chairperson outlines the decision of the Tribunal. If the player is found guilty, before the Tribunal consider the relevant sanction, both parties are asked if they would like to make any further comments or present any evidence that they had not already presented that may help their case, for example, a player with a good disciplinary record will often proffer that as mitigation, whereas the Compliance Manager may submit to the Tribunal that any injury caused should be considered as an aggravating factor.

It is worth nothing that there are both mitigation factors, for example, previous good behaviour and provocation, and aggravating factors, for example, previous record, violence and retaliation, that may be taking into account when sanctioning a player.

#### **Other notes**

* Coaches who received a direct red card will result in a 3 match touchline ban, 2 yellows for any coach will result in a 1 match touchline ban. 4 yellows = 1-match ban. 8 yellows = 2-match ban. 12 yellows = 3-match ban. 16 yellows = Misconduct charge (ban decided by hearing)
* A team will be fined £25,000 if they received 6 or more yellow cards if the same match.
* If more than 2 players, and/or more than 2 coaches surround a match official (mobbing) the team will be fined £20,000
* Accumulating 10 fights in a season will result in a 1 match ban, this increase by 1 for every fight afterwards
* A player who have been sent off refuses to leave the pitch within a reasonable time period after receiving a red card will have his ban increased by 1.
* Accumulating 5 yellow cards in a season will result in a 1 match ban. 2 match ban for 10 yellow cards and a 3 match ban for 15 yellow card. In the unlikely event that a player receives 20 yellow cards they will suffer the humiliation of being forced to attend a special hearing at the FA to discuss their conduct.
* Accumulating 5 red cards in a season will result in an increased 1 match ban, 10 red cards his ban will increased by 2, 15 red cards his ban will increased by 3. 20 red cards in a season will result in a global ban of more than 3 months.
* Club red cards are completely separate from international red cards. No cards received at club level will result in an international ban and vice-versa. However, FIFA do have the power to enforce a global ban.

### **FA Sports Court**

If there's disagreements between a player and a club, disagreements over the Co-Ownership fee, the case goes to the or want to appeal the result. The committee also determines the amount of compensation a football club should receive when a player contracted to that club is expected to join another English club.

It consists of an independent Chairman and members appointed by the FAPL (Premier League and Championship), The Football League (as applicable), the Professional Footballers' Association and the League Managers' Association.

The regulations set out that the following cost can be included in determining compensation:

* Any cost incurred by either Club in operating a Football Academy or Centre of Excellence including (without limitation) the cost of providing for players attending thereat
* Living accommodation
* Training and playing facilities
* Scouting, coaching, administrative and other staff
* Education and welfare requirements
* Playing and training strip and other clothing
* Medical and first aid facilities
* Friendly and competitive matches and overseas tours
* Any other cost incurred by either Club directly or indirectly attributable to the training and development of players including any fee referred to in Regulation.

### **Owner and Directors Test**

The GBFA looks to make sure some kind of proof of funds and business structure is presented, that there is always an element of fan ownership and that stadiums must be held as separate entity in trust to the element of fan ownership so the club always has its major asset regardless of how fluid or not the finances are. In general, a businessman will fail the test if:

* They have power or influence over another Football League club
* They hold a significant interest in another Football League club
* They become prohibited by law from being a director
* They are filing for bankruptcy
* They have been director of a club while it has suffered two or more unconnected events of insolvency
* They have been a director of two or more clubs of which, while they have been director, has suffered an event of insolvency
* Human rights component

https://i2-prod.liverpoolecho.co.uk/incoming/article13774399.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/Rules.jpg

* Minutes silences should be confined for football-related deaths (i.e. a former player, manager, someone's service to football etc). That's right and fitting as it reminds us all that the club has a history that should be respected. For the same reason, Liverpool's tribute to the 96 is fitting. It's part of the history of the club and should be commemorated accordingly. Where I agree with Marina Hyde is that Thatcher or Diana or anyone outside what I'd describe as the football family or community shouldn't be commemorated by a minutes silence and certainly not someone who tried to destroy ordinary fans links with the game and was part of the cover up that denied Hillsborough families justice for so long.
* I like the pre-match handshake. I don't know whether it was dreamed up in a marketing meeting, but for me it should signify that that for all the money, commercialism etc. football is still a sport and should be played within a sporting tradition. The fact that that some players refuse to indulge in it, doesn't mean we should forget what the handshake is for or at least what it should be for.
* Return to the injury management tool used in the 94 world cup. If a player went down the ref merely indicated for a stretcher to be brought onto the field. If a player refused to get on the stretcher they were booked immediately for time wasting. If they were injured, help was quicker to get to them (you can tell I hate the stupid, endless and childish time wasting and play acting which hurts the game)

### Football law changes

* Kicking the ball out = Do not stop until whistle is blown, it’s the ref’s job to stop play not the players.
* Handball = movement of the hand or arm towards the ball. You don't have to move your hand out of the way, you just can't move it into the way
* Holding, pulling or pushing in order to deny a goalscoring opportunity should also be a yellow card. If is a yellow card elsewhere why should it be a red inside the pen area?
* Dissent = Mic the refs up. Use current dissent laws strictly
* Allowed to score an own goal from a free-kick
* Willie Carr's 'donkey free kick' routine is legal. Wille Carr touched with both feet at the same time when he flicks it up for Hunt to volley. There aren't 2 separate movements creating 2 separate contacts, he touches it once using both feet.
* Players getting booked for taking their shirt off = If a player wears anything political, racial, provocative or sexual, yellow card. Otherwise no booking
* If both feet is in line with the last outfield player it is onside.
* Defender holding off forward as ball trickles out = Revive and enforce the old obstruction law. Any player who refuses to play the ball while impeding an opponent should have a free-kick awarded against him. And make it a yellow card for a second offence.
* Time limits on goal kicks and throw-ins. If a player fails to throw the ball in within 6 seconds a free-kick 1 metre from the sidelines. If the keeper fails to take the goal-kick within 30 seconds, the opposition can charge down the goal kick. Substitution taken quickly
* Clock stops for player injuries. The clock will now be stopped by the referee with a watch for the following: (1) From the referee asking the player if attention is required until play restart. (2) From the moment the referee starts to pace 9.15m (or uses the spray for the positon of the ball) until the signal is given to take the free kick. (3) When the play stops for any other reason (e.g. critical weather conditions, broken goalpost or ball, floodlight failure, person or animal enters the field of play etc.)
* The clock will not stop for: (1) Substitutions (the process should be quick, if a player fails to leave at the correct point, warn him, if he ignores it, book him). (2) Throw-ins (6 second rule will be enforced so no need to stop the clock). (3) Stoppages for drinks which should not exceed 1 minute. (4) A penalty kick awarded. (5) A VAR check (VAR must check within 90 seconds). (6) Corner-kick. (7) Goal kicks (must be taken within 30 seconds). (7) After goals are scored.
* The stadium will have the clock visible to the spectators, the stadium clock will also be directly link to the referee’s watch. In addition, the stadium clock could show the additional time being played and not be stopped at 35 and 70 minutes.
* If the game reaches 45 or 90 minutes play will continue. The game will stop and the ref will blow for half/full time if: (1) The ball is kicked out of play for a throw-in. (2) The attacking team commits a foul. (3) The ball is out of play for a goal-kick. (4) A goal is scored. If a goal is scored before half ends and celebrations last (for more than 45 seconds) until half ends, play on. Same for any VAR checks, throw-in and goal-kicks happening before the half ends but lasts until over 35 or 70 minutes.
* Any interference with the taking of a free-kick is a bookable offence. No more picking it up, running back towards goal and then putting the ball down
* Count 6 very slowly and then shout "let's go keeper“, if he fails to release the ball within another 4 seconds, a indirect free kick will be awarded.
* Foul = first look at the point of contact, if the point of contact is the ball then it's no foul and play on. If the point of contact is anywhere other than the ball then considered force, if there's Negligible or low force then it's play on, if there's Medium force a foul, if there's High a foul + a yellow card, if there's extreme force then it's a foul + red card.
* Feigning Injury = Faking an injury will result in a red card and 3-match ban (it's a professional foul), VAR can also be used. Disciplinary action can also be used if they escape unpunished.
* Where a player in an offside position immediately impacts on an opponent who has deliberately played the ball, the match officials should prioritise challenging an opponent for the ball, and thus the offside offence of 'interfering with an opponent by impacting on the opponent’s ability to play the ball' should be penalised." However, a player in an offside position can still profit if he receives the ball from a defender without challenging for it - for instance in the event of a wayward back pass.
* The goalkeeper should not be considered in any offside offence (such as the keeper comming off his line) also if there's no 2nd to last defender due to them being already ahead of them there's no offside (scrap the rule where you have to be behind the ball).
* In the penalty kick, if the goalkeeper saves it the PK taker cannot touch it again until it has been touched by another player of either team or goes out of play (including into the goal). If the penalty kick strikes the post or crossbar, he's allowed to touch it again.
* Remove the "Violent conduct is punishable by a red card even if no contact is made", this will lead to interpretation and also sets a terrible precedent where players can cheat as a player does not have to make contact to get sent off (e.g. Mitrovic in West Ham v Fulham and Westwood in Norwich v Burnley). This is a ridiculous rule you have to make contact for violent conduct.

**Diving/Simulation**

* **Introduce retrospective bans for diving -** Players who dive or feign injury, meaning that if a questionable foul is called and intentional diving is suspected, then a panel of 3 judges can review the play, and if a player is deemed to have taken a dive or feign an injury, that player will be banned from playing in the next 3 matches. This is also true of the American MLS League and the Australian A-League. Incidents will be reviewed by a panel comprising a former manager, an ex-player and former referee, who will watch the footage independently. If they are unanimous in believing a player deceived a match official, the sanction will be a 3-match ban. If a player admits to a charge of successfully deceiving an official, or is found to have done so, any red card given to an opposing player, as a result of the deceit will be rescinded. Red cards for players who were incorrectly adjudged to have dived will also be rescinded.
* **Upgraded it from a yellow card offence to a red card offence -** Use VAR to check as it can check for direct red card offences. Exaggerating contact or flopping to the ground when no contact was made will result in a red card, ref's need to be more brave. Use VAR. Hand them a 3 match ban (it's a professional foul)
* **Don't punish for staying on feet -** Imagine a world where a player who stays on his feet through a challenge, but scuffs an off-balance shot, is actually rewarded for his effort with a penalty. A world where players don’t have to embellish or sell contact because they know the referee will actually give the foul that occurs, even if a player doesn’t go to ground. With the way football’s currently refereed, when players are fouled and in the box, they’re better off trying to sell the call than playing through the contact. That needs to change change. If you stop giving players a reason to go to ground, all you’ll be left with are divers solely out to create something out of nothing. And pretty soon, if that’s all people are diving for, the problem will go away in due time.
* **Point deduction**

**VAR**

* VAR conversation will be broadcasted to TV audience for transparency and clarity.
* Allow the referee to restart the game 1 minute after the scoring of a goal, regardless of how many players of the goal-scoring side are back in their own half. This would get players back in their own half quicker and so avoid time wasting.
* It is my opinion that the team of officials – a Referee, 2 Assistant Referees, 4th Official, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and Assistant Video Assistant Referee (AVAR) should meet up in a local hotel close to the ground in order to develop this team ethic.
* They should all walk around the stadium to get a feel for the intensity of the upcoming game, with the Referee and Assistants obviously being those that head out onto the field.
* There should also be an opportunity to have a zoom link between the VAR and refereeing team at half-time.

The team of match officials would of course come together again and review the performance at the end of the game.

https://elesin-olalekan.medium.com/ai-powered-video-assistant-referee-with-amazon-rekognition-custom-labels-5e4902b47ce5

**VAR officials as independent advisors**

Currently, VARs are match officials whose appointments are announced for each game week as part of the refereeing team. This means one week a match official may be the on-pitch referee, and the next they could be reviewing incidents from Stockley Park. Utilising referees in this rotation raises questions about whether the VAR process is truly independent and objective. This is compounded by the threat of exclusion from officiating the following gameweek if you are adjudged to have made a serious error – as the on-pitch referee or the VAR.

By using referees, we have created an environment of fear and upheaval that leaves VARs lacking the confidence and authority to evaluate incidents objectively. This lack of separation between the two spheres has contributed to the inconsistency in the decision-making process. VARs appear scared to send certain incidents for review and on-field referees appear reluctant to stick with their original decision and overrule the VAR.

Therefore, VAR as a system would work more effectively if the VAR officials were not current referees. While understanding the laws of the game is essential, previous experience officiating matches is not because it is not needed to review incidents independently. Rather, it is important that VAR officials have this separation from on-field referees as it gives them the freedom, confidence, and authority to make an accurate assessment without fear of retribution.

In addition, both the on-field referee and the VAR require different expertise and skillsets. The on-field referee is responsible for managing and officiating the game in real time. They are the ones that must make the big decisions in a split-second. On the other hand, the VAR official is there to judge offsides and cases of mistaken identity, and then to ensure that a red card or penalty has not been missed or harshly given by the referee. Therefore, for subjective decisions, the process would be more consistent if the VAR was viewed as an advisor or overseer rather than the decider. This would hopefully lessen the headline-grabbing performances by VAR as well.

**Expand the number of VAR officials overseeing each game**

In addition, an argument can be made for expanding the number of VAR officials overseeing each game. At present, there are two VAR officials – the VAR and Assistant VAR (AVAR) – plus a Replay Operator. The AVAR is there to assist the VAR when needed. However, the incident involving Jordan Pickford and Virgil van Dijk in the Merseyside Derby provides the perfect example for why a larger and less hierarchical team of VAR officials is required.

During that particular incident, there were three separate elements to be investigated by VAR: (1) whether van Dijk was onside or offside; (2) if onside, whether there was a penalty to Liverpool; and (3) whether Pickford should have been sent off for his tackle on van Dijk? The post-mortem is not clear but it appear David Coote (the VAR) did not analyse the potential red card for Pickford, either due to a lack of time or because there was a miscommunication/misunderstanding as to whether it was relevant. This was a major failing for the VAR process and the officials operating it, highlighting that perhaps the current system is ineffective in dealing with complex incidents that comprise of various elements.

To resolve these shortcomings, there could be three “VARs” who can be used simultaneously to analyse different aspects. For example, when a goal is scored, one could check for offside (if needed), the other could review the attacking phase for a foul, and the final VAR could continue monitoring play. Utilising one VAR to review each aspect not only saves the time taken to make a decision as they can be reviewed simultaneously, but it also increases the probability or arriving at an accurate interpretation because they can devote their attention to just one aspect instead of being overwhelmed. This would help ensure complex situations are reviewed in an effective and efficient manner.

**Automatic Review of Penalties and Red Cards on the RRA**

The “high bar” standard used to decide whether an incident is sent to the RRA refers exclusively to subjective decisions – fouls in the build-up to goals, red cards and penalty decisions. Under the current interpretation, the incident must be “clear and obvious”, i.e. “is there any clear evidence that this should/shouldn’t be given?”. The VAR is thus looking for evidence that the on-field referee has definitely got it wrong, instead of observing the incident independently. This places doubt in the minds of VARs, who are clearly lacking in confidence – or authority – to advise more incidents to on-field reviews in the RRA. This is in spite of the fact that the Premier League Shareholders agreed to an increased use of the RRA for subjective decisions ahead of the 2020/21 season following calls from fans and pundits the previous year.

This is the wrong position to take given that we want to see the on-field referee taking ownership of subjective decisions. For this to occur, subjective decisions must be automatically referred to the RRA. The pace and intensity of football is too fast and relentless for the on-field referee to form a good understanding of every incident that happens in real time. They base their decisions on a gut reaction which could be due to an unclear view of the incident. Therefore, they need the VAR to tell them when an incident requires a further examination.

However, at present, sending incidents to the RRA has a feeling of confirmatory bias, that is, the on-field referee always sides with the VAR’s conclusion. In fact, only once this season has an on-field referee overruled the VAR and stuck with their original decision. This could indicate that the system is working, as only “clear and obvious” errors should be sent to the RRA. But this in itself is subjective, as the reversed penalty decisions against Aston Villa and West Brom in game week 9 showed, with fans and pundits arguing whether both situations met the “clear and obvious” threshold for review.

To make the RRA work more effectively and consistently, the “high bar” standard should be removed to give the VARs the freedom to send subjective decisions for review. If the on-field referee gives a penalty or a red card, these should be automatically reviewed by themselves in the RRA, while any missed incidents also should be sent to the RRA by the VAR official. This would allow the on-field referee to take ownership of major match decisions and should make the review process more consistent, removing confirmatory bias by placing emphasis on an independent assessment of the situation, rather than grading the referee’s original decision.

**Incorporate a Replay or Time Limit**

A consequence of sending subjective decisions for automatic review in the RRA could be that more time is lost during a match. Until the change is implemented, it would be impossible to determine how much this could be but there are two solutions that could help mitigate this by restricting the amount of time officials spend looking at incidents. You could either incorporate a replay or time limit into the decision-making process. A replay limit could consist of three replays – one in slow-motion to identify point of contact and two in real-time to check for intensity. Alternatively, the referee could be given a 30-second time limit to review incidents in the RRA, at which time if a decision is not reached, a penalty or red card cannot be awarded. Both would cut the amount of time used on VAR during matches, while also easing the perception that officials are overanalysing incidents. This would help make the VAR process faster and clearer for spectators and players.

Four-Point Plan to Improve VAR and the Officiating Process in Football

Semi-automated VAR offside is here, and FIFA thinks it's going to be transformative

**Set-piece**

During set pieces in a penalty box, if a player holds, pulls a shirt or grabs a player that player will be expelled from the penalty box until the ball is kicked. Here they are (in order of increasing impact on the game):

1. Give a warning, which has little effect on the players; or
2. Expel a player from the penalty box until the ball is kicked, which removes a player; or
3. Give a yellow card, which can have a big impact; or
4. Award a penalty kick, which can determine the outcome of the game.

**Show Advanced Statistics of Referees to the Public**

According to the Professional Game Match Officials Board, 92 percent of major decisions are called correctly by Premier League referees.

I don’t believe that for a second because referee Michael Oliver failed to spot three clear penalties—one in Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Fulham and two in Norwich City’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

So he certainly doesn’t have a 92 percent success rate on major decisions; therefore, it’s impossible for all Premier League referees to have that high of a percentage.

That being said, I believe in the 80-20 principle where 20 percent of incorrect decisions make up 80 percent of a referee’s reputation.

Hold the referee accountable by making statistics of their decisions available to the public.

How many mistakes has Oliver made this season? How many correct calls has referee Andre Marriner made? How many fouls does referee Howard Webb call in favour of Manchester United verses fouls called against them?

At the end of the season, you look at the referees who have made the most mistakes and relegate them to the Football League.

Making advanced statistics on referees available to the public facilitates two things: 1) It cuts out the 80-20 principle on a referee’s reputation and 2) it holds referees accountable to the public.

For all we know, 60 percent of Webb’s decisions go against Manchester United. Until the public has access to these statistics, his reputation as pro United will continue.

**Other ways to improve ref standards:**

* Starting with more suitable pay, making the role a respectable one in the game would be a start, with those not good enough to make it professionally as a player provided with another avenue to pursue. The game also benefits. As referees are paid more, the standard would likely improve and the stigma and culture of abuse surrounding them may ease.
* Ex-players should also be given motivation to get into refereeing once they retire from playing, not only to aid the overall standard but, over time, level it out to a greater mean. Initially, and perhaps more feasibly, former pros could be there aiding the decision of referees hidden away at Stockley Park.
* Bring in a rugby union-styled code of counduct and rules on dissent.
* Allow referees to communicate directly to supporters and explain their decisions VAR. This may involve supporters hearing a and brief explanation from a referee. Fans would still be unable to listen to match officials while in discussion but the final decision will be explained.
* Make sure refs are keeping up to FIFA Fitness Test standards; Andy Madley and David Coote had failed fitness tests to remain members of the FIFA international list
* The PGMOL should be owned by the FA and be wholly independent from leagues, the EFL and Premier League can countinue funding the PGMOL but only that.
* PGMOL need to review their operations and how VAR is deployed in the Premier League. This can include going through workshops with the match officials to re-visit the criteria to get them working more efficiently, but they simply must do something to improve what we are seeing on the field.
* Increased responsibility for the captain: (a) the main point of communication with/for the referee. (b) only player allowed to approach the referee in a controversial situation. (c) help the referee to calm flashpoint situation/player(s)
* Caution all players guilty of mobbing a referee, team fines should also be done more often and consistently
* Improve referee pay in amateur and youth football
* Body cameras in amateur and youth football.
* Clubs with poor disciplinary records should not receive grants
* Adults who abuse young officials should be sent on safeguarding courses.
* 6 month ban for physically contact with the ref (pushing a ref or snatching the card)
* Lifetime ban for striking an official + Referee assault should be the same as assaulting a traffic warden or PCSO
* Use the County FA’s bank accounts as “rainy day” money to double the number of referee tutors. Better training & more opportunities for personal development may improve retention. Offer as much mentoring and training support as possible.
* Not tolerating any abuse towards refs from parents and coaches. (We crack down on them if it’s towards the ref or not. No room for that type of behaviour). Let the referees caution and send off coaches and also let them kick parents out.

Drug users face removal of passports and driving licences under Boris Johnson's new 10-year plan

* Use Football Foundation for money and funding
* FA not fit for purpose?
* The future for English football could be bright …….. with just a hint of orange
* If British Government really cared about football reform what can they do? …… evolution, not revolution
* The Problem of English Football’s ‘Fractured’ and Badly ‘Listing’ Pyramid
* Fiscal Responsibility, Salary Caps, Fair Distribution: Nice Ideas But, Are They All Realistic for Football Reform?
* Player Salary Caps, 50+1 Ownership and Protecting Football’s ‘Crown Jewels‘. Nice Ideas But Are They All Realistic For Football Reform?
* A DUTCH SOLUTION TO PREMIER LEAGUE TV ISSUES: PART 1
* What can English football learn from the Dutch? League Structures and Youth Progression

Because football clubs tend to grow organically from communities. London has many different socio-economic groups because the area it covers is vast.

Some clubs are formed because boys who had played together at school wanted to keep playing together once they had left school. That club was Wimbledon. Some clubs are formed because the members of a rowing club wanted a physical activity to do together during the winter. That club is Brentford.

The point I'm making is that London has so many different, vibrant areas each with their own social clubs, working groups, comrades, enemies, prejudices, differences that it can accommodate these clubs and they were able to thrive.

As the United Kingdom is a nation with nations within it so too the city of London is a community within communities. Even in the 19th century it was a vibrant hub with many different people from different backgrounds. Football clubs often come to be the figurehead of the working communities that surround their stadiums. Saturday being a place for the tribe to gather and share in unison the collective glory and pain.

Most of all London is able to accommodate so many clubs because the people from the different communities value standing up and representing where they're from, as opposed to just wanting to win. It's why our football pyramid is so extensive and so well supported because football, and the clubs that play it, were as much a part of the working classes identity as anything else. Football has changed into a mainstream middle class sport now, but in the old days it was a badge of honour for the working class to care about where you're from, to want to support where you're from.

It's why most football clubs are in working class areas. Chelsea and Wimbledon might be in expensive areas at the time, but back in the late 19th century early 20th Fulham and Wimbledon were not fashionable or trendy. There's a reason areas like Belgravia, Kensington and Victoria don't have football clubs, because the people who populated those areas were in the upper classes who had no interest in football.

It's why the issue with the relocation of Wimbledon to Milton Keynes was such a shocking event in the history of English football. Sure clubs like Arsenal had relocated when they were in their infancy, but to have an established club with a rich history and storied place in the heart of a busy urban community relocate to a town miles away in a different county was mind-blowing. Because a football club isn't just a sports team in England, it's the embodiment of that place, that area, those people. And it's why the people of Wimbledon fought to create their own new club, instead of just supporting another one that was nearby, because they cared that much.

**Knee**

Since none seems to be bringing this up, let me explain.

Slavia stood arm to arm to send a message of unity across nations and skin colors, it's an alternative to kneeling and it's certainly not a symbol of racism, it's in fact the exact opposite.

Kneeling is problematic in Eastern Europe, many players feel like they're pressured to a gesture that is English/American. But since Eastern Europe doesn't have colonial history, or history of slavery and segregation, it doesn't have the same meaning.

On top of that a big part of Eastern European society (The Polish national team doesn't kneel as well for example) feels like they're being dictated what to do by a bigger, more powerful country, which is extremely sensitive, because the USSR did that for 50 years and people hate anything that reminds them of it, the message is supported, when sent "our way" but kneeling is considered submissive and reactions to it by the public are very negative.

And then there's the ever lasting xenophobia from the British public towards Eastern Europe. Some players don't like that they're asked to kneel to fight against racism and get called Eastern Europe farmers/plumbers immediately after.

The word Slave is legit derived from Slav, after what happened to Eastern Europeans and the Spanish under Muslim conquest back in the 9th Century AD.

#### Pre-season cups

* Bass Charity Vase (trophy) - hosted by Burton Albion against invited opposition at Pirelli Stadium to raise funds for medical and hospital charities
* The Mind Series - hosted by a Premier League team. Funds raised from the series will be split between Mind and the respective club Foundations, that each deliver projects to support mental health and wellbeing in communities
* Emirates Cup (trophy) - hosted by Arsenal at its home ground, the Emirates Stadium
* John Reames Memorial Trophy – one-off between Lincoln City and invited opposition at Sincil Bank Stadium (home of the Imps), in honour of former long-term Lincoln City chairman John Reames
* Premier League Asia Trophy (trophy) – biennial 2-day Premier League-affiliated competition featuring 3 Premier League teams as well as a local team from the host country held in the Asia continent. Employs a knockout system in which the winners of the 1st matches advance to the final, while the losing teams take part in a 3rd place playoff.
* Premier League USA Trophy - biennial 2-day Premier League-affiliated competition featuring 3 Premier League teams as well as a MLF team from the host city/state held in.
* Bobby Moore Memorial for the Bobby Moore Fund
* Out Performance Display Cup - hosted by West Ham United against invited opposition hosted in London Stadium.
* Super Match - hosted by Man City against a highly reputed UEFA club at its home ground, City of Manchester Stadium
* Florida Cup (trophy) - 4-team tournament hosted by Orlando City at Exploria Stadium (in 2022, Orlando City, Chelsea, and)
* International Champions Cup - Held in Australia, featuring an American team, Mexican team, Australian team, English team, Scottish team, German team, Spanish team, French team, Portugal team and Italian team. 16 teams are drawn into 4 groups of 4, only the top team advances to a semi-final and final, there is no extra time.
* Audi Cup - biennial 2-day pre-season friendly football tournament that features 4 teams, hosted by German club Bayern Munich, and is staged at Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany. It is held on odd years since 2009, opposite the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro, before the start of the Bundesliga season as well.
* Dublin Super Cup

**Post-Olympics**

* Aquatics Centre – Open to the public. Admission prices are in line with local leisure centres
* Basketball Arena – Demolished, was only a temporary venue
* BMX Track – Maintained as part of Lee Valley VeloPark
* Eton Manor – Maintained. Open to the public
* Copper Box – Maintained. London Lions basketball, London Pulse netball and London GD handball moved into the venue
* Velodrome – Maintained as part of Lee Valley VeloPark, open to the public
* Riverbank Arena – Converted into a 15,000 seater shinty stadium
* Olympic Stadium – Converted into a 54,000 seater football and rugby stadium. Renamed London Stadium, West Ham Utd play there. Rugby also played there
* Water Polo Arena - Demolished, was only a temporary venue

https://web.archive.org/web/20160305174239/https://www.faz.net/aktuell/sport/fussball/fussball-sachsen-leipzig-soll-fluegel-bekommen-1383558.html

## **League sponsorship**

Since 1983 the League has accepted lucrative sponsorships for its main competition. Below is a list of sponsors and the League's name under their sponsorship:

A-Upon the breakaway of the First Division in 1992 to form the Premier League, Barclays became a secondary sponsor in the newly formed top division, becoming the primary sponsor from 2001 until 2016

Cardiff-city rebrand

## **Division One (Trophy)**

#### **Reason for nickname**

1. Birmingham City: Keep Right On to the End of the Road. "Keep Right On" by The Team of '91
2. Bolton Wanderers: "The Bolton Wanderers Anthem"
3. Burton Albion: "Burton on Trent is wonderful"
4. Ipswich Town: "Come On The Town" by The Ballistics
5. Sunderland: "Overture" by Wax Poetik

## **Division Three (Trophy)**

Diversion

* Stadium:MK is placed where Quadrant:MK is (also where the former National Hockey Stadium is). Quadrant:MK replaces where the actual Stadium:MK. MKFC mascot

## **Division Five**

### **North**

Vacant road on St. James Road will be a recreational playing field

## **Play-offs**

In the quarter-finals, the 5th placed team vs. the 8th placed team and the 6th placed team vs. 7th placed team. The 3rd and 4th placed team enter the semis. In the quarters and semis are at the home ground of the team that finished higher in the final league table, if there’s no winner after 70 minutes then it goes into extra time, if still there’s no winner the higher placed team (home team) goes through. For the Football League Division 1 play-off final is held at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Division 2 and 3 is at Old Trafford in Manchester (home to Manchester United). Division 4 and 5 is at the highest-placed team's home ground

Football League play-off trophy, Football League playoff logo. Football League playoff programme

Division 4 play-off trophy. Division 4 logo

Division 5 (North & South) play-off trophy. Division 5 playoff logo

## **Division Six** **(Trophy)**

Carshalton Athletic

Ossett United

Tonbridge Angels

## **Division Seven (Trophy)**

1. Albion Rovers
2. Banbury United-The Puritans-Traditionally in the town's history, many inhabitants were strongly involved in the Puritan movement
3. Bracknell Town-The Royals-Play in the **Royal** County of Berkshire
4. Brightlingsea Regent
5. Chippenham-The Hunters-The town of Chippenham had a royal hunting lodge under King Alfred
6. Corby Town-The Scots-Corby was at one time known locally as "Little Scotland" due to the large number of Scottish workers who came to Corby for its steelworks.
7. Chorley-The Cotton Army-Chorley was a vital cotton town with many mills littering the skyline up to the late twentieth century.
8. Corinthian-Casuals-The Gentlemen-Corinthian F.C. and Casuals F.C. were both famed for its ethos of "sportsmanship, fair play, and playing for the love of the game". Corinthian Spirit, still understood as the highest standard of sportsmanship, is often associated with the side. This spirit was famously summed up in their attitude to penalties; "As far as they were concerned, a gentleman would never commit a deliberate foul on an opponent. So, if a penalty was awarded against the Corinthians, their goalkeeper would stand aside, lean languidly on the goalpost and watch the ball being kicked into his own net. If the Corinthians themselves won a penalty, their captain took a short run-up and gave the ball a jolly good whack, chipping it over the crossbar."
9. East Fife
10. Edinburgh City
11. Evesham United-The Barons-One of the two main battles of England's Second Barons' War took place near the town, marking the victory of Prince Edward, who later became King Edward I.
12. Hayes & Yeading United-The Missionaries-Hayes F.C. (who merged with Yeading F.C.) were formed in 1909 by Eileen Shackle, who wished to create a club to encourage boys to participate in sport as well as encourage their religious convictions.
13. Herney Bay
14. Ilkeston-The Chieftain-Ilkeston gets its name from its supposed founder, Elch or Elcha, who was an Anglian chieftain ("Elka's Tun" = Elka's Town)
15. Grays Athletic-The Gravelmen
16. Guernsey FC-kits
17. Margate
18. Northwich Victoria-Victoria Stadium (capacity: 5,045)
19. Sheffield FC-1st, 2nd and 3rd
20. Redcar Town - The Lifeboats
21. Weymouth
22. Weston-1st and 2nd
23. Whitby Town

## **Division Eight (Trophy)**

Cowdenbeath F.C.-The Miners-Cowdenbeath FC at that time, surrounded by several of mines one of which stood right next to Central Park (The No. 7 pit), the town of Cowdenbeath was also an important mining town.

Goole-The Dutch-Dutch civil engineer Cornelius Vermuyden diverted the River Don northwards to the River Ouse in 1626–1629, to drain the marshland of Hatfield Chase at the behest of King Charles I. It made the new lower Don – known as the Dutch River – navigable for barges, so that coal from the South Yorkshire Coalfield could be transported to the new confluence, for transfer to seagoing vessels. There the engineers built a new wooden bridge – rebuilt in iron in the 1890s, and now known as the Dutch River Bridge – where to its east formed a new village called "Goole".

## **County Leagues**

1. Aberystwyth-1st and 2nd
2. Buxton-1st and 2nd
3. Crockenhill
4. Fort William
5. Neath Athletic-1st, 2nd and 3rd
6. Woodbridge Town-1st and 2nd

## **Ireland**

* Bohemians-Dalymount Park (exterior)
* Cork City F.C.-Turners Cross (capacity: 12,000)
* Finns Harp-Donegal Community Stadium (6,000)
* Linfield
* Glentoran F.C.-The Oval (8,000) (exterior)
* Shelbourne F.C.-Aviva Stadium (51,700)
* Sligo Rovers-The Showgrounds (6,000)
* Shamrock Rovers-1st, 2nd and 3rd
* St Patrick Athletic-Richmond Park (12,000)

## **European Women's Super League**

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/19/european-super-league-could-end-up-halting-growth-of-womens-game

1. A.C. Milan (Italy)
2. Atletico Madrid (Spain)
3. Arsenal (England)
4. AS Roma (Italy)
5. Barcelona (Spain)
6. Bayern Munich (Germany)
7. Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
8. Chelsea (England)
9. Inter Milan (Italy)
10. Juventus (Italy)
11. Liverpool (England)
12. Lyon (France)
13. Manchester City (England)
14. Manchester United (England)
15. PSG (France)
16. Porto (Portugal)
17. Real Madrid (Spain)
18. Tottenham (England)
19. Wolfsburg (Germany)
20. Zenit (Russia)

## **DEVATIONS**

* https://ellliottt.com/tag/redesign/
* Akademisk Boldklub 1st and 2nd
* BMG 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* CSKA Sofia 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Deportivo la Coruna 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* FC Andorra 1st and 2nd
* UD Poblense 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Hamburg 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Juventus 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Legia Warsaw 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* PAOK 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Preussen Munster 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* PSG 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Real Madrid 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* River Plate 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Saint Etienne 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Sporting CP 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Slavia Prague 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Torino FC 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Valletta FC 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Villarreal 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Vitoria de Guimaraes 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Warta Poznań 1st and 2nd
* Werder Breman 1st, 2nd and 3rd
* Vasco de Gama 1st and 2nd
* West Ham with Foot Locker
* Sunderland with Red Bull
* Celtic FC with Sony
* Brentford FC sponsored by Dell
* Ajax with Heineken
* Real Oviedo kits with Comeon poker
* Saint-Etienne with ZeBet
* FCUM green & gold kit with Teamviewer
* Salford City tangerine orange with TalkTalk sponsor
* Wolves black shirt with Fly Emirates
* Stoke City purple kit sponsored by e.on
* Everton yellow kit sponsored by Exxon
* Crystal Palace yellow kit with Wall’s
* Wigan green kit sponsored

**Cricket**

1. Barclays
2. British Airways
3. Phillips
4. Bentley
5. John Lewis
6. Samsung
7. Land Rover
8. Virgin Media
9. Welsh Fire: Admiral

* Allianz Arena renamed Etihad Stadium as Allianz owns 8.33% of Bayern and owners are banned from sponsoring their club.
* Alex Ferguson: 1986-87: 4th, 1987-88: 2nd,1988-89: 6th, 1989-90: 3rd, 1990-91: 2nd
* Dwight Yorke starts his Aston Villa career in 1980 he would be instrumental in European Cup success in 1982, he would join Man Utd to replace Mark Hughes (who left for Barcelona in 1986) for 4 season from 1986 until 1990 (1986/87 scored 16 goals in 34 apps becoming top goalscorer) before joining Blackburn Rovers in 1990, Birmingham City in 1992 and Sunderland in 1994 before retiring, he would later become a coach.
* Andy Cole starts is career in 1979 at Arsenal before joining Bristol City in 1982 and then Newcastle United a year later. He would then join Manchester United in 1985 until 1991 (Cole's first 2 season with Manchester United proved to be difficult, as Cole struggled to find his trademark form and was badgered by fans and critics alike across much of the season for only scoring 14 times and missing many chances, McClair would be used with Yorke instead) in his last season 1990/91 he would be joint top league goal scorer with Brian McClair (13 goals) before being sold to Blackburn Rovers, he would join Fulham in 1994, Man City in 1995, Portsmouth in 1996 and Sunderland in 1997 all lasting for only a season before retiring, he would later join Sky Sports as a pundit.
* Peter Davenport would stay at Nottm Forest until 1988, he never joins Man Utd
* Man Utd sign Paul Gascoigne for £2.2 million in 1988 from Newcastle United, Gazza leaves Man Utd for Rangers in 1999/2000 (scored 19 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions and was named as both PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year, Gazza claimed hat-tricks against Kilmarnock and Motherwell, and ended the campaign with 17 goals in 34 games in the 2nd season, in the 3rd season Gazza scored just 3 goals in 28 games and was sold on) before leaving to join Middlesbrough in 2002 (Gascoigne started the season in good form however Gazza began suffering from blackouts after blaming himself for the death of a friend, who died after Gascoigne and a group of friends went on a night out drinking in his second season he once against started the season well however he suffered an arm injury keeping him out for 8 weeks, and then later in the season a hernia injury, which kept him out of action for 3 months) before retiring in 2004. Gazza would retire from international football after 1998 FIFA World Cup. Gazza would return to Man Utd in 2007 assisting the youth set-up until Fergie's retirement in 2013 he would stay away from the alcoholism that plague him and made him infamous after leaving Man Utd.
* Man Utd signed Alan Shearer for a world record transfer fee of £15 million from Newcastle United in 1996 (he never went to Blackburn Rovers). Alan Shearer scored 25 goals in 31 apps becoming Man Utd's and Premier League's top goalscorer of the season as Utd went onto to complete a treble (UCL, FA Cup and Premier League), next season (1997-98) he would score 18 goals in 33 apps, 1998-99 he would score 20 goals in 32 apps, 1999-2000 23 goals in 37 apps, 2000-01 15 goals in 29 apps (missing 9 games due to a groin injury), 2001-02 23 goals in 32 apps, 2002-03 17 goals in 35 apps, 2003-04 20 goals in 32 apps. However in his final 2 seasons he would have less appearances as Fergie signed Rooney and Louie Saha and Rooney would used with Van Nistelrooy. Shearer snapping his right anterior cruciate ligament in 2004-05 and suffered a tear to the medial collateral ligament in his final season 2005-06 thus decided to retire from football in the process. In matches against Newcastle he received an ovation and Shearer every time he score against Newcastle, he never celebrated against them.
* Van Nistelrooy scores 24 goals in 37 apps in 2001-02, 22 goals in 37 apps in 2003-04.
* Peter Schmeichel stays at Man Utd until his retirement in 2003. Raimond van der Gouw joins West Ham for the 1999/2000 season. Mark Bosnich would be Man Utd's backup keeper until 2001 before being sold to Chelsea for a free transfer. Roy Carroll would replace him as backup keeper signed from Wigan Athletic, he would make a few starts but some key mistakes meant he was dropped and instead new signing Tim Howard from USA started ahead of him, Roy Carroll was released at the end of the 03/04 season, Edwin van dar Sar for £2 million from Fulham in 2005 becoming the No.1 goalkeeper until his retirement in 2011
* Massimo Taibi join Reggina, Man Utd never bid for him. Fabien Barthez stays at Marseille.
* Liverpool win the FA Cup 1996
* Man Utd win UCL in 1997 and 2005 to add to the 1999 and 2009 wins
* Ole Gunnar Solskjær would stay at Molde for another season before joining Man Utd for £1.5m in 1997, Erik Nevland never joins Man Utd
* Teddy Sheringham stays at Tottenham (never joins Man Utd) until the end of the 2001/02 before join Portsmouth, Spurs would sign Robbie Keane to replace him
* Les Ferdinand stays at Newcastle (top goalscorer with 18 in 1996/97), suffered a ankle ligament injury sustained in a pre-season match at Goodison Park, restricted Les to just 2 goals in 17 games in the 1997–98 season. His injury was reflected in the club's form, and Newcastle finished just 13th in the Premier League. He would stay injury-free the season after and score 14 goals in 21 apps.
* Ian Rush stays at Leeds Utd in 1997/98
* Fabien Barthez joins Marseille in 2000
* Steven Gerrard joins Chelsea in 2004/05 for £32 million, Michael Essien signs for Liverpool in 2005 to replace Gerrard. Chelsea wins the UCL in 2007/08 in Jose Mourinho's final season at Chelsea who left to join Inter Milan
* Michael Essien, Tiago (stay in Benfica), Lassana Diarra (joining Arsenal instead then join Portsmouth) and Steve Sidwell (staying in Reading for another season) all never sign for Chelsea
* Raul Meireles stays at Liverpool for another season.
* Neil Lennon was appointed at first on a 12-month rolling contract before signing a 3-year contract in 2020 until 2023
* Ange Postecoglou does not join Celtic.
* Nike is the kit supplier of Bayern Munich as Adidas have a share in FC Bayern Munich.
* FCUM and Man City shirt has the worker bee symbol in the middle
* Reducing Injuries in Football): an Umbrella Review of Best Evidence Across the Epidemiological Framework for Prevention
* https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/9935364/former-referee-dermot-gallagher-backs-offside-rule-change
* https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/mar/28/football-action-network-manifesto-this-game-is-our-game-general-election-premier-league
* https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10244215/EFL-threat-end-3pm-Saturday-TV-blackout-screen-match-live-three-divisions.html
* Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed bought Fulham for £6.25 million in the summer of 1997. Sold to Hugh Grosvenor in 2013
* Susanna Dinnage was chief executive since November 1999 and Executive Chairman of the English Premier League from June 2014 until her retirement in November 2018
* Arsenal stay at Manor Field in Plumstead until 2006.
* Fran Kirby retires
* Alan Shearer: 34 apps, 16 goals
* Incorporate clubs like Darlington athletics club. Darlington Arena needs to be open during the day as a restaurant / caffe which would entice drivers travelling along the A66
* https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/coatham-qa-everything-know-far-23160787
* https://www.quora.com/Is-tackling-a-dying-art-in-association-football-in-2020
* http://outsideoftheboot.com/2014/04/12/should-the-premier-league-adopt-serie-as-co-ownership-system/
* The Club Show Sky Sports
* If we need to make Bundesliga better, it needs some top teams that can do a top class scouting and marketing. DFL needs to find some marketing ideas to spread the love for Bundesliga in foreign lands, so that broadcasting revenue increase. Bundesliga need to improve training academies in all clubs, so that lot of talent is home grown and the club's don't have to depend on transfer market for getting good players. DFL is doing most of the above mentioned things, they just need to do it on a bit more massive scale to improve.
* Another suggestion I would put forward is that, to force that clubs buying the academy nurtured talent from German clubs, must keep paying bonuses to the respective club every year. This would stress the importance of having home grown talent, and avoid foreign clubs from hijacking home grown talents with ease.

**Sport sponsorship on TV**

* [Carling-2014 World Cup on ITV]
* Visa or Hyundai/Kia-FIFA World Cup
* Qatar Airways-FIFA Club World Cup
* Xbox-England on ITV
* Continental Tyres-FA Cup on ITV
* Vitality-Charity Shield
* Barclays-EPL on Sky Sports
* EA Sports-EPL on BT Sport
* Renault-The Big Match ITV
* Nissan-Championship on BT Sport
* Gumtree.com-Division 4/5 on Channel 5
* Sharp-EFL on BT Sports
* Ebay.com-EFL on ITV
* Kia-Cricket
* Iru Bru-SRL rugby on BT Sport
* Aviva-SRL rugby on ITV
* NatWest-6 Nations on ITV
* Heycar
* Screwfix
* Aviva rugby

#### **PL Schools Cup**

It allows hundreds of youngsters the chance to experience the thrill of being treated like a top-flight footballer.

The 2019 event was held at Wolverhampton Wanderers' Molineux Stadium.

Forty schools who won qualifying competitions organised by the 20 Premier League clubs represented those clubs on the day, in the Under-11 mixed and Under-11 girls categories.

The 320 participating players wore club kit, used the same dressing-rooms that the professionals use on matchday, came down the tunnel to the Premier League anthem while their matches were refereed by Premier League match officials.

The 2019 PL Primary Stars Football Tournament involved 14,500 children from more than 1,600 school teams, who have taken part in regional competitions for the right to represent their local Premier League club.

The tournament is one of the competition elements of the PL Primary Stars programme, which inspires children in more than 16,000 primary schools in England and Wales.

#### **Transfer**

* Yaya Toure joins Brazilian Vasco da Gama after Qingdao Huanghai.
* Ernesto Valverde joined in June.
* Gonzalo Higuain joins River Plate from Juventus
* Edinson Cavani joins Boca Juniors

#### **Corrin Martin**

* 2016/17-2017/18 [2 years]: Swansea City (2 CWC)
* 2018/19-2025/26 [8 years]: Chelsea (14 titles, 8 FA Cups, 1 UEFA Cup, 10 LC, 1 CWC and 9 UCL’s)
* 2040/41-2041/42 [2 years]: Swansea City (1 title and a UCL)
* 24 seasons. Retires internationally aged 36, wins the Euros (2021) and World Cup (2034) as a captain in his last international match. Banned from British and international football from January until September 2025 for kung-fu kick after being attacked by an Arsenal fan, returns in the 1st match of October 2026, doesn’t score until December, scores a pen (due to Spurs poor PK conversion) and ends up winning POTM for December. 2040 player retirement at the age of 40, and becomes a coach/manager. 15 titles, 10 UCLs, 3 CWC, UEFA Cup, 7 FA Cups and 9 LCs + 2 international titles = 47 titles in total. Made the most assists than other player
* 14 goals x2. 15 goals x3. 17 goals. 18 goals x2. 19 goals x2. 20 goals x3. 22 goals. 25 goals x2.
* Tackle on Robertson resulting in him sent off and Robertson stretched off with an injury
* Clashing with Sergio Ramos
* Clashing with Zlatan Ibrahimovic
* After the match against Chelsea, Ruidger argued, spat and racially abused Martin and a brawl ensured. Both were sent off
* Clashing with Raúl Jiménez. After a foul, Jiménez kicked with studs showing set off Martin who grabbed Jiménez from shirt and pulled him down and fight broke out. Both sent off.

#### **Glyndwr Spalding career**

* 2035/36-2038/39: Swansea City (LC, CWC)
* 2039/40-2034/44: Rangers
* 2044/45-2059/60: Sunderland (14 titles, 8 UCLs, 8 FA Cups, 10 LCs, 2 UEFA Cup, CWC)

Played 27 season. Played as an advanced forward

All time top goalscorer for Sunderland & Wales and in club football, international football, UCL and British top flight football.

Stockport and Darlington in Championship by 2040

2044 Euros: Wales

1. 20 apps 16 goals
2. 34 apps 16 goals
3. 34 apps 16 goals
4. 34 apps 18 goals
5. 34 apps 45 goals
6. 27 apps 27 goals
7. 34 apps 39 goals
8. 34 apps 32 goals
9. 34 apps 38 goals
10. 29 apps 26 goals
11. 25 apps 23 goals
12. 34 apps 41 goals
13. 34 apps 24 goals
14. 34 apps 45 goals
15. 34 apps 62 goals (80 goals)
16. 34 apps 50 goals
17. 34 apps 43 goals
18. 34 apps 26 goals
19. 34 apps 24 goals
20. 29 apps 22 goals
21. 13 apps 18 goals
22. 17 apps 21 goals
23. 34 apps 19 goals
24. 34 apps 18 goals
25. 13 apps 20 goals
26. 18 apps 18 goals
27. 10 apps 15 goals

684 league goals

**Suspensions**

* On September 7, 2009 Paddy Kenny was given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping, it found the forbidden substance stimulant ephedrine in his urine.
* On March 2, 2011 Kolo Toure was given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping, it found the forbidden substance Awo's diet pills.
* On January 7, 2015 backdated to December 3, 2014 Jordan McMillan was given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping, traces of cocaine founded,
* On July 14 2015, Jose Baxter
* On 19 September 2015, Diego Costa was handed a 3 match ban in the Barclays Premier League
* On 12 March 2016 Diego Costa was handed a 3 match ban for spitting at feet of ref, Michael Oliver
* Sergio Ramos was handed a 2-year ban for failing a drugs test in 2017 after his urine sample contain the anti-inflammatory cortisone dexamethasone which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list. Real Madrid froze his contract and suspended him without pay
* From September 2016 Saido Berahino was given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping backdated
* Arijan Ademi
* Serie Aurier is banned from entering the UK for 5 years from 26 September 2016 (26 September 2021)
* On 22 February 2018 backdated to 1 July 2017 Samir Nasri was given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping, he received an intravenous drip of 500 millilitres of water containing nutrients
* On 2nd February 2019, Tyrone Mings was banned for 5 matches for a stamp on Nélson Oliveira
* On December 9, 2019 Daryl Murphy was given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping, he took cocaine.
* Daniel Sturridge suspended worldwide from all football-related activity on March 2, 2020 for 6 months after breaking gambling rules, he will be allowed to play on September 2, 2020.
* Andre Onana on February 5, 2021 was given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping, it found the forbidden substance Furosemide in his urine.
* Nathaniel Mendez-Laing on February 12, 2021 given a 2-year ban from all footballing activities for failing a VADA out-of-competition drugs test when he was flagged for potential drug doping, it found he took cocaine.
* PSG women player Aminata Diallo was banned for life from all football activities for hiring 2 “masked goons” to attack her own teammate, Kheira Hamraoui, on November 4, 2021 in a bid to steal her place in the squad. She was found guilty for Conspiracy to cause ABH.
* Eric Abidal on November 4 was proven to be one of the “masked goon” after he yelled 'you like to sleep with married men' while beating her with iron bars due to an alleged relationship between Hamraoui and Eric Abidal. Abidal’s wife Hayet filed for divorce amid claims he had an extramarital affair with Hamraoui.
* Jerome Boateng, on September 9, 2021, was found guilty of domestic violence against his former partner (Common Assault) and sentenced to 6 months in prison and fined €1 million. Boateng was suspended from all football activities for 2 years
* Brighton’s Yves Bissouma was found guilty on November 5, 2021 on 1 count of sexual assault and sentenced to a year in prison as well as be on the Sex Offenders List for 10 years. He was transferred to an Ivory Coast prison upon agreement between the latter’s government and UK Government to spend his prison sentence in the Ivory Coast. He was banned from entering the UK for 10 years.
* Quincy Promes on November 18, 2021 was jailed for 25 years after being found guilty for attempted manslaughter stabbing his cousin in the knee at a family party last July. Promes was banned for life from all football activities
* Karim Benzema on November 24, 2021 was suspended from all football activities for 1 year after being found guilty of conspiring to blackmail a fellow French footballer with a sex tape he was given a 1-year suspended sentence. Benzema still plays for France internationally, he is never excluded for 6 years.
* Ryan Giggs was found guilty on December 17, 2021 of controlling and coercive behavior (to his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville between August 2017 and November 2020), assault by causing actual bodily harm (to Ms Greville) and common assault (of her younger sister, Emma Greville, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on 1 November last year). Giggs was sentenced to 6 years in prison. Giggs was banned from all football activities for 20 years.
* Benjamin Mendy was found guilty on 9 counts of rape and 1 count of sexual assault on January 4, 2022 and was sentenced to life in prison, thus was released by Man City with immediate effect and banned from all football activities for life. British Government and French Government reached an agreement that Mendy will be transferred from a British prison to a French prison meaning Mendy will serve his life sentence in France, Mendy will also be banned from entering Britain.
* On 8 February 2022, Kurt Zouma was sentenced to 4 years in prison in France, fined equivalent to £50,000, banned from owning animals and sent on an educational RSPCA course
* Pepe was banned for 2 years for inciting a brawl and kicking a Sporting director [16 Feb 2022]
* On July 4, 2022 Thomas Partey was arrested for 3 counts of rape after incident took place in the end of June. He would soon be found guilty and sentenced to 57 years’ in a Ghana jail (after an agreement between UK and Ghana) and banned from all footballing activates for life. He would also be banned from Britain for life.
* On July 16, 2022; Fabian Delph of Everton was found guilty of making sexual relationship with a underage child (child sex offence), after he was arrested on 16 July, 2021. Everton who originally suspended Delph without pay, terminated his contract, was sentenced to 17 years in Guyana prison (July 16, 2039), put on the UK sex offenders list for life and banned from entering Britain for life.
* In September, 2022; Mason Greenwood (arrested in January 2022) was found guilty of 2 counts of threat to kill (14 years), sexual assault (7 years), rape (19 years) and committing ABH (4 years). He was sentenced to 44 years in a Jamaica prison, banned from all football activities for life and banned from Britain for life. Man Utd fans returned replica shirts with refunds, club withdraw his merchandise, his name disappears from online shop, removed from EA Sports FC video game, and Nike & Teamviewer stopped sponsoring Greenwood. The club’s official partner Cadbury said Greenwood won't appear on any of their marketing products.

Aaron Wan Bissaka was disqualified for a further 12 months and fined for driving without a license he also has a community order

Aubameyang commits 3 disciplinary breaches turned up late for to training on March 2021, visiting France without Arsenal’s permission in March 2021 and starting a fight in December 2021.

**Racism**

* Liverpool defender Steve Harkness suspended from all football-related activity for 10 matches in April 1998 for racially abusing Stan Collymore
* Newcastle player Emre Belözoğlu suspended from all football-related activity for 10 matches on 13 January 2007 for racially abusing a player against Everton at Goodison Park
* Luis Suárez was suspended from all football-related activity for 10 matches and fined £40,000 on 15 October 2011 for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra
* John Terry was suspended from all football-related activity for 10 games, stripped of the Chelsea and England captaincy and fined £220,000 racially abusing QPR's Anton Ferdinand called him a "fucking black cunt" during the game. Terry was also found guilty by Westminster Magistrates Court and fined £2,500
* In October 2014, Celtic player Aleksandar Tonev was suspended from all football-related activity for 10 games
* Fernando Forestieri was suspended from all football-related activity for 10 games for racially abusing opposition player Krystian Pearce in a pre-season friendly. He was also found guilty by Sheffield Magistrates Court and fined £2,500
* Wayne Hennessey was suspended from all football-related activity for 10 games in January 2019 making a Nazi salute and also sent to a re-education programme on Nazism.
* On 19 September 2019, Peter Beardsley was suspended from football for all football-related activity for 32 weeks after being found guilty by the FA of racially abusing players
* On 23 September 2019 Bernardo Silva was suspended from all football-related activity for 10 games for racially abusing his teammate Benjamin Mendy and fined £50,000
* In September 2019, Leeds goalkeeper Kiko Casilla suspended from all football-related activity for 10 games for racially abusing Charlton forward Jonathan Leko saying “mark negro” and fined £60,000.
* Ondřej Kúdela was suspended from all football-related activity for 10 games for racially abusing Rangers’ Glen Kamara

#### **Injuries**

1. Garissone Innocent collapse on pitch and are rushed to hospital on 31 January 2021
2. Moussa Dembele collapsed during training on 23 March 2021. He was discharged after 10 days but was told that he won’t be able to play football for a minimum of 6 months (23 September 2021)
3. Edouard Mendy suddenly collapse in June 2021, he is fitted with an ICD and returned to playing football in 12 January 2022. Eriksen was monitored and tested closely in the 5 months after his cardiac arrest as the results have not provided any news to cause alarm. Serie A rules state that no player can compete in the competition while having such a device fitted (Premier League have the same rule). As a result, Gabriel Jesus left Inter and joined Ajax
4. Giuseppe Perrino, 29, ex-Parma footballer dies at memorial match after collapsing on 2 June
5. In August, Blind collapsed during a pre-season friendly and was due for medical exams before returning to training he is fitted with a S-ICD on his chest
6. On August 9, 2021 Pedro Obiang was forced into retirement after been diagnosed with myocarditis following his COVID-19 vaccination. Obiang, 29, received his COVID-19 shot in July and was hospitalized shortly after with heart problems.
7. Samuel Kalu collapsed on the pitch on 16 August 2021 he was ruled out for 6 months
8. Fabrice N’Sakala collapsed on August 21, he was ruled out for 3 months following ‘cardiological evaluation’
9. 9.Dimitri Liénard collapsed on the pitch on 12 September 2021 he was ruled out for 6 months
10. 10.During his debut against Lyngby Boldklub on 12 September, Wessam Abou Ali suddenly collapsed on the pitch and was brought to the hospital he was ruled out for 6 months
11. Kingsley Coman undergone heart surgery to correct an irregular heartbeat on September 17, he missed 6 months (March 17)
12. Emil Pálsson on 1 November 2021, Emil collapsed and went into a cardiac arrest while playing for Sogndal in a match against Stjørdals-Blink. He was successfully resuscitated, and was then flown to Haukeland University Hospital for further investigation and treatment he was ruled out for 6 months
13. Luther Singh collapsed on November 9, 2021 he was ruled out for 6 months
14. Sergio Aguero announce his retirement on 27 November 2021 due to the severity of his heart condition after he suffered a cardiac arrhythmia during an eventual 1–1 home draw against Alavés. Cavani would be signed in January to replace Aguero, as he 'does not feel comfortable’ in Boca and due to a ‘lack of playing time’, Cavani was at one point handed a 3-match ban and fined $100,000 in Argentina.
15. Nuno Mendes was forced off in the 74th minute of a Portugese League encounter due to breathing difficulties after feeling unwell and hooked up to a heart monitor. He was out for 15 weeks afterwards
16. Piotr Zielinski on 12th December forced off with breathing problems in the 16th minute. Zielinski was seen holding his neck, coughing and gesturing that he was struggling to breathe.
17. Marin Cacic tragically dies aged 23 following collapse in training on 24 December 2021
18. Ousmane Coulibaly suffers heart attack
19. Alphonso Davies died after having myocarditis
20. Mario Lemina
21. Axel Meye
22. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang suffered a heart lesion and was out for 15 weeks

Jérémy Chardy retired from tennis on September 23, 2021 saying he suffered a reaction to a Covid-19 vaccination, and was unable to train or play

Serena Williams collapse during French Open 2021, she would miss the rest of the year

Jake Lever of Melbourne Demons suddenly collapses at preseason training

RVB collapses and receives paramedic attention on 19 March, he missed 2 weeks of darts

? underwent heart surgery at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut on 1 September, HHH announced his retirement during his 2022 HOF acceptance speech due to severity of his heart condition

https://www.notonthebeeb.co.uk/post/surge-of-sports-people-worldwide-suffering-unexpected-ill-health

#### **Scottish Football**

* Free football training sessions with every council for children
* More training programs
* Have more schools get football pitches and have more set up teams
* Open encouragement of free entry to grounds for under 12’s
* Equal spread of television money between the top flight clubs
* Renovation of Hampden
* Reduction in prices for all Scotland games
* Improvement in snacks available
* Full time referees
* Better playing surfaces promote a better quality of product on the pitch, which in turn should attract more supporters, raise the self-esteem of Scottish football and, ideally, improve the ability of players and so the national side and teams competing in Europe. The investment, either in maintaining grass pitches properly or in hybrid surfaces that are a mix of grass and artificial fibres, ought to be worthwhile, and there should be minimum standards

#### **SPL TV coverage**

1990/91: Sky Sports

1991/92 – 1997/98: STV

1998/99 – 2001/02: Sky Sports (BBC showed highlights)

2002/03 – 2003/04: BBC Scotland

2004/05 – 2008/09: Setanta Sport (STV showed highlights)

2009/10 – 2010/11: Sky Sports and ESPN (BBC showed highlights)

2011/12 – 2016/17: Sky Sports and BT Sport (BBC showed highlights)

**2017/18 – present: Sky Sports**

#### **Man City, FCB and PSG**

* Man City were deducted 70 points for 'serious breaches' of financial rules and failure to cooperate with an investigation, banned for 2 transfer windows, banned for 2 seasons ban from UEFA and fined £25 million. The period under investigation is said to be 2012 – 2016
* PSG were banned for 2 transfer windows, banned for 2 seasons ban from UEFA and fined 30 million euros
* Manchester City and PSG faced large financial losses if CAS uphold UEFA’s 2-year European ban and deprive them of European income.
* A financial squeeze would restrict their ability to buy and pay players, leading to an almost inevitable decline in the quality of their squad — and results.
* This is just one ramification of the ban, with UEFA citing 'serious breaches' of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules up to 2016 and City’s and PSG’s failure to cooperate with an investigation.
* City and PSG have also been handed a €30m (£25m) fine, which they will appeal. Their appeal was denied
* If City and PSG post losses from next season, they could fall foul of FFP again – for spending more than they earn. The simplest remedy would be to sell players, which would raise income and cut a wage bill that stood at £315m last season.
* Whether some of City's major 'global partners', including Puma and Nissan, would seek to renegotiate terms is not known. For a club of their size, City earn an unusually high sum from commercial income: last season it was £229m — much higher than rivals Liverpool (£186m) and Chelsea (£185m), both 'bigger' clubs who have won the UCL and have larger global fanbases.
* City's commercial income is so large because £130m comes from sponsors based in the UAE, where club owner Sheik Mansour has huge influence on City's partners. Etihad alone is believed to pay £80m a year to sponsor City's shirts and campus, while telecoms firm Etislat pay about £16.5m and Visit Abu Dhabi £19.75m.
* The Korean tyre firm Nexen pay £10m a year to be City's sleeve sponsor, having entered into a 'strategic partnership' with the UAE's sovereign wealth fund Mubadala.
* Documents published by German magazine Der Spiegel last year indicated that in 2015 Etihad was, in fact, only paying £8m then £67.5m annual deal with City, while Mansour was topping up the other £59.5m himself. If confirmed as accurate, that would breach FFP.

(City's most recent financial accounts, for the 2018-19 season, show revenue of £535million and a small profit of £10.1m. But those revenues included about £100m from the Champions League, comprised of £86m in prize cash from UEFA, plus match day and hospitality income from five home CL matches of more than £10m. Other commercial income related to Europe was also included.

Losing out on that £100m would have led to a £90m loss. The impact would be similar if a ban is in force for 2020-21, but intensify if a ban ran to two years.

A 2-year ban would raise the prospect of manager Pep Guardiola leaving, while the club's best players might also consider their futures.)

* FC Barcelona was declared bankrupt in 2021 with all employees (players, coaching staff, volunteers, workers) released, they were re-founded in Tercera División Group 5 after debt and future liabilities amounted to €2 billion. The teams’ badge, kit colours and history was maintained and they will still play at Nou Camp, however the Nou Camp project was scrapped
* Juventus were relegated to Serie B

**NHL**

* All ice hockey games play IIHF rules with the exception (using NHL instead) is: icing (hybrid), fighting, Kicking the Puck and Offside. All players must wear Cascade M11 Helmet. Thrown elbows and cheap shots will result in a 10% of a game fine, 20% the next time. For egregious offenses, the team should be given the right to terminate a contract.
* Remove shootouts from ice hockey in general. For overturn follows NHL, in group/regular season games, sudden death 10-minute period of 3-on-3. For knockout/playoff games consists of full 20-minute periods of sudden death 5-on-5
* NHLPA needs to take over disciplinary decisions for the NHL, NHLPA DoPS should have someone that is qualified to oversee the department rather than another former NHL player that likely was on the delivering end of many suspendable offenses, such as hockey violence advocate George Parros. The department should be headed by a doctor that specializes in brain trauma and CTE.
* Punitive measures should be meaningful and bring cause for potential offending players to think more before acting. The solution is to continue suspending based off severity of the incident and history, but in cases where fines are issued, the fine should be a percentage of the offending player’s annual salary rather than a flat capped fine that is of minimal consequence. Fines, like suspensions, would increase in severity based on the incident in question and the history of the player.
* Get Rid of TV Blackouts
* Bigger Punishment for Headshots: 10-20 game ban for an initial hit to the head, so be it. then double it next time
* NHL Global Series
* NHL should continue to fund youth programs, USA Hockey, Hockey Canada, junior hockey league, high school leagues, and college teams. Need to start from the grassroots
* Zero tolerance to diving and dissent
* Soften shoulder pads so players won't use as much force
* Putting mics on all officials at all times
* Players must serve entire penalty even if goal is scored
* Puck and goal line sensors
* NHL introduced a Player Conduct Policy, within it a "Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Sexual Abuse"
* Switch to a Soft cap
* 6 ways-nhl-improve-arena-experience
* https://thehockeywriters.com/do-not-suspend-raffi-torres-ban-him/
* The Future of the NHL: 8 Ways to Make Hockey More Popular in America

**Reduce season to a 62-game season**

The improved schedule that I would propose would start a week earlier and finish by the first Monday in April. This would be a 180-190 day schedule featuring 60 games—home and away against every NHL team—meaning a game every 3.1 days.

Every team would play at least one midweek game and one weekend game every week. There would be eight game weeks where teams would play three games. These weeks would never feature back-to-back games and would always be intra-conference, meaning that teams will not have long road trips on their busier, three game weeks. Teams would also be facing other teams on their three game weeks to avoid a more rested team getting a competitive advantage.

This new schedule would also compensate for an all-star break and a Christmas break so the players and league can keep their scheduled breaks.

The playoffs, however, would be left untouched because there is no reason to change a formula that is currently working and liked by everyone involved in the game of hockey. However, the one change would be giving each team a one-week break prior to the playoffs so they can have a rest before the rigors of the playoffs begin. As things stand now, teams are lucky to have four days off before the playoff madness begins.

If the NHL marketed their games in a better fashion, then I imagine TV revenues would drastically increase too. If every team plays fewer games, die-hard hockey fans will start watching other games and improve viewership on them. The NHL could market just one live game on Tuesday and one game on Thursday nights, and play all the other games on Wednesdays. Then they could have Saturday and Sunday marathon hockey days in which games are played all day long.

Ticket prices in large market areas would increase with fewer games. Unfortunately, the fans would be the biggest victim of this, but the owners could make up a lot of that lost revenue by increasing ticket prices because there are fewer games. The simple supply-and-demand economics would support this. The less a team plays, the more valuable a ticket to see them becomes. That is why you can go to baseball games for less than $10, because they play every day.

* Grandstand 1971-1975
* Caroline Barker-BBC Darts

**EA Sports FC**

1. Fix disconnect glitch
2. Fix inconsistent game speed
3. Fix the servers (boost it)
4. Scrap FIFA Points. Packs need huge improvements (remove duplicates)
5. Remove e sports-like competitiveness.
6. Improve the menu
7. Stop yearly releases.
8. Improve the responsiveness of defending, remove defending reliability on AI
9. Improve squad building rewards. Scale back challenge
10. More dynamic rewards for Milestones
11. Make gameplay more fun and skill based
12. Improve pro-clubs
13. Go back to the penalty system from FIFA 03
14. Improve rewards for squad battle reward
15. Allow customize in formations
16. Improve Volta mode
17. Remove the glitch where a player concedes a pen without pressing a button
18. Award monthly FUT Champs rewards
19. Implement a FIFA Manager-like mode for Manager mode
20. Improve heading
21. Remove the glitch where a team still has the ball despite the opposition tackling the ball numerous times
22. Improve stats FUT
23. Improve pacing system

#### **Setanta Sports**

* 50 Premier League matches
* 60 SPL matches
* FA Cup
* FA Community Shield
* Conference
* Home Nations FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
* England U21 and Women
* League of Ireland
* League of Ireland Cup
* Irish Cup
* Dutch Eredivisie
* French Ligue 1
* German Bundesliga
* Italian Serie A
* Copa América
* Copa Libertadores
* Copa Sudamericana
* Ireland rugby
* Irish schools rugby
* Irish club matches in URC
* GAA
* Indian Premier League cricket
* Golf events

This was a disaster. IPL matches were often shown during afternoons in the week which meant the viewing figures were poor. Sky still had major golf events such as WGCs and Ryder Cup so there was no need for fans to have both channels.

This was a costly mistake and soon after signing these contracts, the next round of Premier League bidding had came around for 2010-13.Investors were beginning to get cold feet as they weren’t getting a return on what they had put into the business and unlike Sky who had struggled at the start but were able to continue due to Murdoch, there was no one willing to invest at the peak of the 2008 recession. Setanta stumbled onto the end of the 2008/09 season but that would be the last season that the channel would exist in the UK.

However, there was no large damage to clubs that were owed money as unlike the ITV Sport Channel, Setanta had paid most of its contracts. Setanta had paid the second year of its contract with the Conference and didn’t owe them any money. The £3 million that the SPL had to pay was unfortunate but on the other hand, the SPL profited £23 million for 2008. The clubs that did fold in Scotland were rather down to unsustainable investment from rich owners instead of Setanta’s money.

## **Rugby**

### **International**

**Twickenham Stadium**

* England national rugby matches
* Richmond rugby (SRL)
* Challenge Cup final
* Army v Navy rugby match
* The Varsity Match between Oxford and Cambridge
* Champion Schools final (link). National finalists from all age groups parade around Twickenham in their school uniforms and watch the Challenge Cup Final as guests of the Rugby Football League
* United Hospitals Cup final
* Catholic Church in England and Wales annually since Mid-1970s
* Hosted 4 NFL regular season games as part of the NFL International Series from 2007 until 2013 in October
* Concerts

* Make the markings on the pitch distinctive. https://youtu.be/Jwjwy0rpqxU?t=289, https://youtu.be/Jwjwy0rpqxU?t=395
* The modern game is all about dominating position and possession. It's important to know where play is taking place at all times. This is obviously not a problem at a live game, but with TV shots mainly focussing on a 10 square metre block, it's sometimes difficult to tell where you are on the pitch and how much progress a team has made.
* Numbering of the lines and marking of the in-goals (in the way gridiron marks its end zones), for the clubs in their own grounds. TV graphics will be used for shared grounds.

A suggestion:

1. The 20m zones in front of the try lines shaded red and the 20m zone each side of the half-way line shaded another colour (yellow?).
2. A 40-20 would then need to be kicked from outside the yellow zone and find touch inside the red zone.
3. Perhaps it could be achieved with lines parallel to the touch at 5m intervals? Not sure how easy this would be and it could cause problems for the soccer club tenants.

* If the players are breaking the rules/laws of the game they should be penalised
* If the player doesn't play the ball properly, penalise him. (Touch the ball with the foot = Play on. Doesn't touch the ball with foot = 6 again)
* If a player tries to slow down the PTB penalise him.
* If players are offside at the PTB penalise them.
* If the players don't understand the laws of the game they should be taught and the same with the coaches

**Other**

* Rugby should start at 2.30-3.00 preferably on a Saturday
* Just do what we do in the football. Don’t allow people to take their alcohol to the seats, you can only drink it in the concourse in the back. This would probably help with the morgue like atmosphere at the Millennium as well as well as keeping seats full and the atmosphere at a constant. The way I see it, the WRU have outpriced normal fans and just filled the stadium with richer half arsed glory supporters only there for a booze up. Persuade people who actually want to watch the rugby to go to the matches and not the 80 minute patriots that overwhelm the stadium. Its what the FAW did and it works really well. Especially with the atmosphere you get at the footy games these days. There is a reason we keep our games at the Cardiff City Stadium also. Look at how flat the atmosphere was when we had a friendly against Spain a few years back at the Millennium. Too many day trippers, not enough proper fans and it showed massively.
* Was at the Principality on Saturday. Never again. It was like being at an English Alcoholic rave. A DJ playing loud ” music” and getting the crowd into a drunken frenzy. Why not recording of Welsh choirs. That is what made the Welsh games unique
* The bars should be shut during the match as those leaving and returning to their seats with alcohol often cause too much distraction to those that want to concentrate on watching the rugby match which is the real reason genuine supporters should be there.

**TV**

* Sky Sports: 1994/95-1998/99 (5 seasons) £45m (£9m a year)
* Sky Sports (shows 66 live matches): 1999/2000-2003/04 (5 seasons) £53m (£17.6m a year)
* Sky Sports (shows 69 live matches): 2004/05 to 2008/09 (5 seasons) £57.8m (£11.56m a year)
* Sky Sports (shows 70 live matches + entire playoffs): 2009/10 to 2011/12 (3 seasons) £87m
* Sky Sports (shows 43 live games + 1 semi-final and final) and BT Sport (BT shows 26 live games + 1 semi-final): 2012/13 to 2016/17 (5 seasons) £90m (£18m a year)
* Sky Sports (shows 152 matches) and BT Sport 2017/18-2019/20, Premier Sports for 2020/21 (shows 152 matches): 2017/18-2020/21 (4 seasons) £110million
* Sky Sports (shows all live matches) and ITV (3 live matches each week): 2021/22-2023/24 (3 season) £152m

**1895-1896 RFL First Division**

1. Manningham (C) W33 D0 L9 66PTS
2. Halifax 30W 5D L7 65PTS
3. Leicester Tigers W24 8D L10 56PTS
4. Northampton Saints 27W 2D 13 L 56PTS
5. Gloucester 22W 9D 11L 53 PTS
6. Oldham 21W 8D 13 L 50 PTS
7. Blackheath 24W 2D 16L 50 PTS
8. Hull RFC 23W 3D 16 L 49 PTS
9. Richmond 21W 4D 17L 46 PTS
10. Wigan 19W 7D 16 L 45 PTS
11. Bradford 18W 9D 15L 45 PTS
12. Leeds 20W 3D 19L 43 PTS
13. Wasps 17W 5D 20L 39 PTS
14. St. Helens 15W 8D 19L 36 PTS
15. Leigh 15W 4D 23L 34 PTS
16. Warrington 14W 4D 24L 32 PTS
17. Harlequins 12W 8D 22L 32 PTS
18. Bristol 12W 7D 23L 31 PTS
19. Wimbledon 13W 4D 25L 30 PTS
20. Huddersfield 10W 4D 28L 24 PTS
21. Marlborough Nomads 8W 8D 26L 24 PTS
22. Clapham Rovers 4W 8D 30L 16 PTS

## **GAA**

Professional, https://extra.ie/2021/04/08/sport/gaa/james-skehill-inter-county-gaa-players-should-be-paid, https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/poll-should-intercounty-gaa-players-be-paid-155791, https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/massive-yes-to-pay-for-play-26240397.html

### **Overseas counties**

**Croke Park**

* Dublin GAA
* Sam Maguire Cup Semi-Final & Final – Men & Women
* Lenister Provincial Championship final
* Tommy Murphy Cup Final – Men & Women
* Liam McCarthy Cup Semi-Final & Final – Men & Women
* Christy Ring Cup Final – Men & Women
* U19 All-Ireland Semi-Final & Final (Football & Hurling) – Men & Women
* All-Ireland Club Championship Final (Football & Hurling) – Men & Women
* U19 All-Ireland Club Championship final (Football & Hurling) – Men & Women
* Railway Cup Semi-Final & Final (Hurling & Football) – Men & Women
* Sigerson Cup final – Men & Women
* Fitzgibbon Cup final – Men & Women
* Concerts

Shinty

Bught Park, Inverness (capacity: 16,440)

## **Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL)**

South Conference

North Conference

1. Aberdeen Lynx-P&J Live (capacity: 15,000)
2. Basingstoke Bison-Silverdome Arena (capacity: 2,000)
3. Belfast Giants-Odyssey Arena (capacity: 10,000)
4. Cardiff Celts-Millennium Arena (capacity: 17,500)-Entrance song: Dakota
5. Coventry Blaze-Skydome (capacity: 3,000)
6. Dublin Rams
7. Dundee Stars-Dundee Ice Arena (capacity: 2,300)
8. Edinburgh Capitals-Murrayfield Ice Rink (capacity: 3,800)
9. Fife Flyers-Fife Ice Arena (capacity: 4,500)
10. Glasgow Clan-Braehead Arena (capacity: 5,200)
11. Guildford
12. Hull Pirates-Hull Arena (capacity: 3,750)
13. London Knights-Wembley Arena (capacity: 12,500)
14. Leeds Chiefs-First Direct Arena (capacity: 13,781)
15. Manchester Storm-Manchester Arena (capacity: 23,500)-Win horn: Wonderwall
16. Milton Keynes Thunder-Bladerunner Arena (capacity: 3,000)
17. Newcastle Vipers-Utilita Arena (capacity: 11,000)
18. Nottingham Panthers-National Ice Centre (capacity: 7,500)
19. Telford Tigers-Telford Ice Rink (capacity:
20. Sheffield Steelers-FlyDSA Arena (capacity: 13,600)
21. Swansea Cobras-Barclays Centre (capacity: 15,000) (**NB:** In Mariner Street car park)

**Goal horn**

* Basingstoke Bison-MOTD Theme
* Cardiff Devils-Bertander and the Thief
* Dundee Stars-Ace of Spades by Motorhead
* Leeds Chiefs-I Predict a Riot by Kaiser Chiefs
* Hull Pirates-One Stop Beyond by Madness
* Manchester Storm-Some Might Say by Oasis
* Newcastle Vipers-
* Nottingham Panthers-Reach Up (Papa's Got a Brand New Pigbag)

## **Basketball**

### **BBL**

1. Belfast Star-Odyssey Arena (capacity: 11,000)
2. Bristol Flyers-Bristol Arena (capacity: 12,000)
3. Birmingham Knights-LG Arena (capacity: 15,683)
4. Brighton Bears-Brighton Centre (capacity: 5,000)
5. Chester Jets-Northgate Arena (capacity: 1,000)
6. Derby Trailblazers-Derby Arena (capacity: 5,500)
7. Glasgow Rocks-Kelvin Hall Sports Arena (capacity: 1,200)
8. Leeds Force-First Direct Arena (capacity: 13,500)
9. Leicester Riders-Leicester Arena (capacity: 2,400)
10. London City Royals- (capacity: 20,000)
11. London Lions-Copper Box Arena (capacity: 12,000)
12. Manchester Giants-Manchester Arena (capacity: 21,000)
13. Mersey Tigers-M&S Bank Arena (capacity: 11,000)
14. Milton Keynes Lions-Arena:MK (capacity: 4,500)
15. Newcastle Eagles-Utilita Arena (capacity: 11,000)
16. Plymouth Raiders-Plymouth Pavilions (capacity: 4,000)
17. Sheffield Sharks-Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield (capacity: 13,500)
18. Worcester Wolves-University of Worcester Arena (capacity: 2,000)

### **National Basketball League D1**

1. Bradford Dragons-Bradford College Arena (capacity: 200)
2. Doncaster Panthers-Adwick Leisure Centre
3. Durham Wildcats-Newton Aycliffe Leisure Centre
4. Edinburgh Warriors-Braehead Arena (capacity: 5,200)
5. Essex Pirates-Brentwood Centre (capacity: 1,200)
6. Kent Crusaders-Medway Park
7. Middlesbrough Mohawks-University of Teesside
8. Portsmouth Kings-Mountbatten Centre
9. Reading Rockets-Rivermead Leisure Complex
10. Swansea Storm-EE Arena (capacity: 4,000)
11. Team Northumbria-Sport Central (capacity: 3,000)
12. Watford-Queens' School

### Division 2 teams

1. Brighton Bears-Brighton Centre
2. Brixton Topcats-Brixton Recreation Centre
3. Cardiff Celts-Cardiff International Arena (capacity: 15,000)
4. Derbyshire Arrows-Killamarsh Sports Centre
5. Huddersfield Heat-Park Lane Sports Centre
6. Ipswich Leopards-Copleston High School
7. North London Wolverines-SPACe Centre
8. Milton Keynes Lions-Arena:MK
9. Mansfield Giants-Oak Tree Leisure Centre
10. Oldham Celtics
11. Oxford Devils
12. York Eagles

### **3x3 basketball**

Games are played on a half-court with standard 2 and 3 point shots apply, the 3 point line is the same distance as in the FIBA.

There are 4 players in total with 3 players on the court at all times.

The first possession is determined by a pregame coin toss

The shot clock runs for 12 seconds

There is one period of 10 minutes.

If the defence gains possession of the ball within the arc, by a steal, a block or a rebound, the team must move the ball behind the arc before being allowed to take a shot.

Gameplay starts with the defensive team exchanging the ball to the offensive team behind the arc. This exchange is also used to restart the game from any dead ball situation.

Free throws follows standard FIBA rules.

Fouls & violations follows standard FIBA rules.

* All Basketball games plays one rule, FIBA rules (incorporates all NBA rules, except for player injury rule, allowed rebound shot, foul limit which is 5 like FIBA (6 in NBA), touch ball above cylinder (you can't in NBA) and coach-only timeouts, timeouts are also 1 in each half)
* All Basketball games ends with Elam Ending

ANZ Championship remains, does not spilt off

## **Rugby League improvements**

* A future structure for Rugby League competitions
* Rule changes to make rugby league great again
* Seize The Day: 12 Ways To Make Rugby League Great Again
* How to make rugby league great again - a 10-point plan
* 5 ways to improve rugby league
* 5 Easy Ways to Fix Rugby League
* https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/three-rules-super-league-must-change-to-improve-the-game-39488/
* https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/08/16/rugby-league-rule-changes-to-make-the-greatest-game-even-greater/
* 6-things-rugby-league-should-scrap/ (except for family image)
* Scoring team kicks off to conceding team.
* NRL, Super League and International unify and adopt one code of rugby league.
* RFL/SL needs need to hire in-house professional filming crews with professional equipment so that all games are shot well and consistent. That’s why RL can’t get streaming platforms to buy their rights, because there’s nothing to buy.
* If the RFL and SL had large sponsors they wouldn’t be so dependent on and handicapped by Sky Sport. RU not only has large corporate backers, they get UK taxpayers to foot the bill by way of sponsors such as RBS which is 2/3 owned by the UK government. Has that been brought up by anyone? RU is airing on Amazon Prime now, and they got 10s of millions for a few cup competitions. RL can’t get anything from anyone? The digital marketing and social media is poor too.
* Rename Super League to British Rugby League, BRL.
* Cutting quota spots, better to see clubs sign 1 high-quality NRL player as opposed to 3 from the NSW Cup or Queensland Cup
* Bring back War of the Roses. Cumbria v Southern Counties
* Community development work is (or should be) part of the games marketing strategy
* Bring in Eddie Hearn to help rugby league
* Remove salary cap, instead introduce Dutch-style license system.
* Super League fans to be offered free away travel for Thursday TV games
* Bring up in more and better sponsorships
* Work with football or union clubs.
* Marketing blitz especially out of home advertisement.
* Wigan Warriors- Talking Rugby: The sport needs to do more to push itself to a bigger audience and Euro 2022 should be the blueprint
* Dublin Blues joins RFL League
* A French Revolution – 5 things French RL needs to achieve before 2025
* Valencia Huracanes, Toulouse Olympique, Catalan Dragons and a Paris team are in Elite 1
* Elite 1 needs a bumper TV deal.
* Dissecting Shane Richardson’s plan for British Rugby League
* How to bring rugby league back together and push it forward
* Scotland Rugby League needs support now more than ever.
* Liam Finn trusts new Ireland board to grow the game after stalled progress
* International Rugby League is a must this autumn
* What rugby league should learn from the success of the Rugby World Cup

## **Other**

Cardiff Warriors basketball

netball

England Netball - The Roses