PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL
THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE LIMITED
REPORT
OF A CONFERENCE OF CLUBS, MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE,
held at the Cafe Royal, London, on Monday, 22nd March, 1954, at 10 a.m.
The President, in welcoming the members, said how glad he was that the Clubs had found
time to come to this Meeting, and he hoped that there would be frank discussion on all matters.
The Management Committee had heard recently that some Clubs were of the opinion that it was
not necessary. So long as things were going well, there might be grounds for such opinion, but
nevertheless the Management Committee were glad of this opportunity of hearing the views of
the Clubs freely expressed. In order to get through the Agenda quickly and efficiently, he requested
once again that one representative only from any Club should speak on one particular topic.
Before proceeding with the Agenda the President said that he had been informed that
Mr. Bob Smith (Chairman, Manchester City F. C.) was 80 years of age to-day, and on behalf of the
Clubs he wished him many happy returns of the day.
Entertainment The President reported that on the Monday previous to the Meeting he had—accompanied
Tax. by the League Secretary and representatives of the Football Association—interviewed the
Financial Secretary to the Treasury. The deputation had been courteously received in the non-
committal attitude customary on these occasions, and they had put their case as well as they
were able. Although without direct evidence he had high hopes that something might be done in
the next Budget to relieve the Clubs of the heavy burden of Entertainment Tax.
Provident Fund The President reported to the Meeting that this year the 4 per cent. levy was £8,000 short
for Players. of meeting the premium for the Provident Fund, and the Management Committee were active in
devising the best possible way of dealing with the situation. There were two obvious methods
open to them, (a) to increase the 4 per cent, levy or (b) to decrease the benefits to the players in
the Provident Fund, which would call for a lower amount of premium. He told the Clubs that the
Management Committee favoured the latter course, and at the Annual General Meeting they
would probably suggest that instead of 10 per cent. of emoluments it would have to be 9 per cent.
He hoped the Clubs would bear this in mind when discussing the next item on the Agenda.
Additional Sunderland F. C. again brought forward a suggestion that players taking part in Floodlight
Payments to Matches should be paid a sum not exceeding £5 per match, and stated that it was their intention
Players taking to propose this at the next Annual General Meeting.
part in Floodlight The President reminded the members that if this proposal were carried it would increase
Matches. the amount granted to the players in the Provident Fund, and therefore it must essentially follow
that the 4 per cent. levy would have to apply to Floodlight Matches.
West Bromwich Albion F. C. spoke against the proposal and pointed out that it would give
many Clubs an advantage over other Clubs who were not so favourably placed geographically,
and could not therefore arrange attractive Floodlight Matches. They also stressed the point that
once the door was opened for extra payments in this case, the players would expect additional
payments for Friendly Matches, County Cup Ties, and so on. They thought that the whole
question should be approached with caution, because if the precedent of extra payment for
Floodlight Matches was once established, it could cause embarrassment if and when it was decided
to play ordinary League matches under floodlight conditions.
West Ham United F. C. were in favour of the extra payments. They were of the opinion that
the intention was to apply the extra payment to purely Friendly matches only. They suggested
that all Floodlight matches should be subject to the 4 per cent. levy, and they thought that the
extra revenue received from such matches would probably meet the deficit in the Provident
Fund premium.
Queen's Park Rangers F. C. also supported the suggestion.
The President, in reply to the discussion, asked the Clubs to bear in mind that if any extra
payment to players was decided upon, then in the opinion of the Management Committee it should
apply to all Friendly matches, whether played under Floodlight conditions or not. He thought
the Clubs would understand what he meant when he said that the Management Committee would
be quite happy if such payments were regularised and their control placed in the hands of The
League. If Sunderland F. C. felt strongly enough about the matter, then it was up to them to
put forward a notice of motion for consideration at the Annual General Meeting.
Broadcasting Sunderland F. C. brought forward this question once again for discussion and stated that
and Television. they thought the present arrangements for Broadcasting of sound commentaries had proved a
satisfactory solution. They were, however, still of the opinion that the question of Television
was a more serious one. The sale of Television sets was advancing at a rapid rate, and they wished
to impress upon the Management Committee the necessity for taking every step to safeguard the
Clubs from any loss of revenue as a result of the televising of matches.
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