By Neil Ravenscroft
April 24 2003

Is this the end for the Leicester City scenario, as the League decide that they will dock points or relegate teams who go into administration and also announce plans to revolutionise the game outside the Premiership. The meeting of Football League chairmen held at Leicester City's Walkers Stadium finally resulted in three major proposals being agreed in principle.

Following the meeting, Football League chairman Brian Mawhinney revealed that clubs who fall into administration would be docked points or possibly relegated. They have not, as yet, decided which of the punishments to adopt, but the choices will be 6 or 12 point deductions, or automatic relegation, the latter being the proposal supported by Walsall.

Other proposals are:-

Clubs in administration barred from voting on League matters
Member of League board whose club falls into administration automatically loses position
Any club spending an entire season in administration relegated
A club going into administration twice in three years would have their membership of the League withdrawn
Clubs coming out of administration agree to work within an agreed 'player budget' for a minimum period of the existing season and one full season afterwards.

In a bid to fight off the increasing trend of administration, Third Division clubs will have their wages capped as a percentage of annual turnover from next season and the same regulations will be extended to Divisions One and Two in time for season 2004-05, which will be a disappointment to Walsall, who had opposed this move.

In a surprise move, however, the League also agreed to proposals to extend the Football League play-off tournament to six teams from next season. They have not, as yet, released any details of how this would work, but I presume it would be, in our case, something along the lines of 5th v 8th and 6th v 7th playing for the right to meet the 3rd and 4th placed teams.