Football Leagues: Evo-Stik North League

Spurs hold the record for the largest ever attendance recorded, bringing in over 85,000 spectators for a U …

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Manchester United achieved record annual revenues in the year to 30 June 2017.  Revenues increased 12.8 per cent compared to the previous season to £581.2m,   Earnings before deductions for tax, depreciation etc. increased more than 17 per cent to just under £200m.   Pre-tax profits increased 7.7 per cent to £39.2m.   The improved performance was largely due to higher broadcasting income and Europa League success.

Sports minister Tracey Crouch has called the situation surrounding the terminaton of Mark Sampson’s contract as women’s head coach by the FA a ‘mess’.  Crouch is a qualified football coach, manages a girls’ football team and is a keen Spurs supporter.  She was the first Conservative minister to take maternity leave.

It looks as if MLS in the United States is increasingly establishing a solid following.   Average attendances last year were 21,700, compared with 20,115 in the EFL Championship,   Atlanta United’s match against Orlando City last Saturday attracted 70.425.   This broke a 21-year record dating back to the league’s first season.

Sunderland fans are understandably disappointed at an indifferent start to the season.  Some of them think that owner Ellis Short is ‘asset stripping’ the club in preparation for a sale.  They are particularly aggrieved that so little of the £30m transfer fee for Jordan Pickford has been spent on new players.

One can spend millions on a player who then doesn’t live up to his potential, doesn’t fit in with the rest of the squad, causes trouble in the dressing room, gets injured and eventually has to be sold at a loss.Alternatively, one could spend relatively little on a player who fits into the team well, keeps himself fit and shows more talent than was anticipated.

The English Football League has agreed a new five year television deal with Sky worth £600m, 36 per cent more than the current deal.   Outside of the 3pm Saturday blackout, clubs will be able to stream their own matches online.  All midweek Championship matches will be available for selection by television viewers.Concerns have been raised about the impact of the deal on attendances and how the money will be distributed between clubs.

Outgoing Barnsley owner Patrick Cryne is terminally ill with bowel cancer and does not expect to see the end of the season.  His poignant programme notes for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie (actually written by his wife Jean) justifiably attracted widespread and sympathetic attention on the internet and my thoughts go out to him and his family at this time.At the match against Aston Villa in the 66th minute supporters in all four stands stood with their mobile phones illuminated and sang the name of their 66-year old owner.

It is clear that the Northamptonshire Police inquiry into alleged financial impropriety connected with a £10.25m loan to Northampton Town Football Club (under its previous ownership) is consuming considerable resources and is being conducted in a commendably thorough fashion.

Today I submitted a proposal for a book based on this site which has already received an enthusiastic reception from the potential publisher.  The book will open with a warning about too much sepia-tinged nostalgia about how football used to be.  I watched football in the 1950s and there are many different ways in which it is incomparably better today from the state of the pitches to the facilities for spectators.