Reality Check For Fantasy Football

‘Own the club, pick the team’ was the offer to bring fantasy football to life made to the 30,000 members of MyFootballClub. Eight months after the web-based company took control of Conference side Ebbsfleet in a blaze of publicity, the novelty has worn off and apathy appears to be setting in. Last Saturday, the team selector finally went live, with members asked whether they wanted to choose the players for the pre-season friendly against Charlton or leave it to manager Liam Daish.

Hearts Debt For Equity Plan

Hearts’ debt could be reduced by £12m if a ‘debt for equity’ plan is ratified at an extraordinary general meeting on July 31. The proposal, announced by Vladmir Romanov, the club’s majority shareholder, would see UBIG, the Lithuanian bank of which Romanov is also a majority shareholder, purchase over 34 million new ordinary shares at 35p each, effectively increasing their stake in the Tynecastle club from around 82 per cent to approximately 95 per cent.

Why The 39th Game Is Still On

Premiership chief executive Richard Scudamore still thinks that a 39th game played abroad is essential to secure the future of the competition. He argues that the only reason that the model of distribution of half the domestic rights income and all the foreign rights income equally is that ‘the revenues are so large, enabling us to divide the income without the top clubs crying foul.

Thirty Point Deduction For Luton Town FC

Luton face likely relegation to the Blue Square Conference and possible extinction after the Football League deducted them a total of 30 points. They would probably have to get 80 points next season to survive, as many as Rochdale got to reach the play offs. Many fans think that the penalty is harsh, but the League is insisting that ‘rules is rules’. The Hatters were handed an initial ten-point deduction by the FA last month after they were found guilty of 15 misconduct charges involving payment to agents.

Dunfermline FC’s Problem

Dunfermline no longer own their ground and chairman John Yorkston, while insisting the club is in no danger of moving into administration, has warned the 11 players out-of-contract at the end of this season they’ll have to take big pay cuts if they want a deal. Indeed, Dunfermline Building Society, the largest in Scotland, offers two ‘soccer saver’ accounts: for Celtic and Rangers fans. That just about says it all.

Baggies Up For Sale

Chairman Jeremy Peace has effectively put West Bromwich Albion up for sale. He said in a statement that he will listen to any ‘substantive and sensible proposals which are in the best long-term interests of the club’, including those for his 51 per cent of the club’s shares. The reasoning behind his decision is simple: the club needs more money to compete effectively in the Premiership.

Everton’s New Stadium

Tesco boss and Everton fan Sir Terry Leahy is helping the Toffees to fund a new 50,000-seater stadium. Together with Everton chairman Bill Kenwright he has won the approval of Knowsley councillors for their joint £400m development in Kirby, five miles outside Liverpool. Tesco’s largesse amounts to more than £120m towards the £200m cost of the new stadium, but it has signed away any rights to own the stadium or the club itself. Tesco gets a 55,000 square metre store out of the deal.

Terras In Trouble

Supporters of Blue Square Conference side Weymouth are anxious about the club’s future after rumours that ownership of the land the Wessex Stadium sits on is to be transferred to Wessex Park Limited. Wessex Park Limited was set up by football club owner Malcolm Curtis in January 2007 when former chairman Martyn Harrison announced major cutbacks. Chief sponsor Dave Higson, from Park Engineering, warned the move could be the beginning of the end for the club.

Chesterfield Stadium Plan Hits Snags

Relocation plans for Chesterfield could fall through unless Blues’ bosses can secure multi-million pound investment into the new ground. The 10,000 seater £12m stadium is part of developer Wilson Bowden’s proposed regeneration scheme to include a Tesco store and mixed-use commercial use at the former Demaglass works. But debt-troubled Blues have still not struck a deal with an investor and the overall scheme depends on the stadium going ahead.

Palace Try To Sell Their Ground

South London club Crystal Palace are trying to sell their Selhurst Park stadium for £12.5m as a development opportunity. It is claimed that the site offers considerable opportunity for a major mixed-use redevelopment. Palace owner Simon Jordan claimed to have bought the ground in 2006 for £12m. However, it was done through a complex series of companies which obscured the identity of the final owner. Last year he was reported to be looking for £15m to refinance the property. A potential investor would have to find an alternative home for the club before knocking down the stadium building.