EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB CO. LTD SECRETARY THEO. KELLY Telephone Telegrams AINTREE 2263 FOOTBALL LIVERPOOL GROUND & REGISTERED OFFICE: GOODISON PARK LIVERPOOL-4 OUR REF YOUR REF DATE June 23rd, 1943. Dear Sir, Re FOOTBALL LEAGUE COMPETITION NORTH, 1943-4. My Directors have carefully considered the proposal of the League Management Committee with regard to the above, and duly placed before the Committee a counter suggestion which they believe would he to the advantage of all Clubs participating. This suggestion of ours does not appear on the circular "A" issued to the Clubs, but we understand that the Committee have no Objection to it being put forward by our representative at the Annual General Meeting. The following is our suggestion:— "That a Championship Competition run in areas similar to last season commence on 28th August, to run for twenty-two Saturdays and terminate on 22nd January, 1944. That at the conclusion on 22nd January, 1944, the thirty-two Clubs having the best record shall proceed to a Knock-out Competition. Clubs failing to qualify and Clubs failing to survive the respective rounds of the Cup Competition will fix League matches with other Clubs similarly placed." "The Cup-ties to commence on the home and away principle on February 5th could be played fortnightly, with one week's gap between each round, which would enable early fixtures to made for the certain clear dates, viz., January 29th, February 19th, March 11th and April 1st and 22nd. (County Cup-ties cum League matches would be assured of these dates, where required). As before, all matches, Cup or League, would count towards the 2nd Half Season League Championship." The advantages of this scheme are many, particularly the time factor in these restricted days, when communications from Clubs have to be dealt with by the Ministry of Transport in con- sidering applications for travel by road. {& no extra time Cup ties (with spare date).} Your own Club's Executive will realise the benefit of the extra seven days breathing space in which to arrange travel, advertising, permits for players, etc., instead of as now, watching the Sunday Press, and telephoning here, there and everywhere in desperate haste to fix a game for the following Saturday. Further, there will be greater interest in the bad weather weeks of January, when the Qualify- ing thirty-two Clubs will be settled. Clubs not qualifying will have better chances of making a good programme for the New League Competition and there is a greater chance for one of these Clubs to win the 2nd Half Season's Championship. Two-Club-City teams as Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, etc., and Clubs running Reserve XI.'s, will not be so handicapped in concluding their fixture arrangements. We purposely omit in our proposal any reference to Bank Holidays, as we cannot premise the Government's situation, and further, travelling is so undesirable on these dates, that Clubs are far better off in every way, by playing their nearest neighbours. We trust that you will give this your earnest consideration, prior to and on Monday next. Yours faithfully, Theo. Kelly SECRETARY