PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE LIMITED REPORT OF A CONFERENCE OF CLUBS, MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE, held at The Cafe Royal, London, on Monday, 12th March, 1951, at 10 a.m. The President, in his opening remarks, referred to his suggestion last year of finding a more salubrious place than London for the Conference, but it had been found impracticable at present. He welcomed the presence of Messrs. Oakley and Richards, both of whom had been laid aside by illness, and he expressed the hope they were now fully recovered. An apology was received from Blackpool F. C., who were unable to attend. New The President referred to his statement at the last Annual General Meeting with regard to Regulations. the revision and codification of the Rules of the League and stated that this had now been done. The New Regulations, which retained the spirit of the old, would be issued to the Clubs in book form in a short time. He asked that Clubs should remember that any proposed alterations of Rule for the Annual General Meeting in June should be made to these New Regulations. Article 14. The President reported that as a result of the extension of the League it would be necessary to amend Article 14 of the Articles of Association of the Football League, and it was the intention of the Management Committee to place a Special Resolution before the members at a Special General Meeting immediately preceding the Annual General Meeting on 2nd June, 1951. The Secretary then read the proposed Special Resolution as follows :— That the Articles of Association be altered in manner following : Article 14 shall be deleted and the following new Article substituted in its place. "14. Subject to the Regulations of the Football Association for the time being in force the members may by resolution passed at a meeting called for the purpose from time to time and upon such terms as they may think fit admit as Associate Members such number of Football Clubs as may be permissible by such Regulations of the Football Association. The members may by such resolution as aforesaid from time to time and for such period as they may think fit grant to Associate Members the privilege of appointing as their representative or representatives at ordinary or extraordinary general meetings of the League any person or persons in the proportion of one repre sentative for such number of Associate Members as the said Regulation of the Football Association for the time being in force shall permit and such representative or representatives shall have all the rights powers and privileges of members at any such meetings except the right to vote upon such resolution as is mentioned in Article 11." Regulation 59 A representative of Sunderland F. C. drew attention to the general unrest regarding wages re Wages. and suggested that the time had come for some increase in players' wages. He pointed out that in general the wages of artisans had been doubled over the pre-war scales, and yet the maximum wage for the professional footballer only showed a 50 per cent, increase over 1939. His Club suggested an increase of the maximum to first team players of £2 per week during the Playing Bonus. Season, and suggested that the Clubs could afford this increase. His Club also suggested an increase in the Match Bonus to £3 per point to give more incentive to players and thus keep alive the interest in the League Competition to the end of the season for all Clubs. A representative of Chelsea F. C. supported the suggested increase in wages. Wages. A representative of West Ham United F. C. suggested that Clubs be given power to pay the maximum wage to all players age 21 and over irrespective of service. His Club considered that Clubs were at a big disadvantage when trying to secure players, especially first-class amateurs, and suggested that the relationship between age and wage and the effect of acknowledging all service, whether Amateur or Professional, would enable Clubs to secure players fairly and honestly. Liverpool F. C. stated they were quite happy to support the suggested wage increase but not increased bonus. Everton F. C. agreed with Liverpool F. C. and asked if the feeling of the Meeting were to be tested by a show of hands. The President replied that no vote was intended. The purpose of the Meeting being for discussion, not decision. Bristol Rovers F. C. stated that all Clubs would like to increase wages but thought that some Clubs would find it impossible, and wondered whether the proposed increase would work to the advantage of the wealthier Clubs. Luton Town F. C. stated that an increase in wages was bound up with the proposed increase of admission charges. Millwall Athletic F. C., speaking as a Third Division Club, supported the increase in wages. 1