PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE LIMITED REPORT OF A CONFERENCE OF CLUBS, MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATE, held at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, on Monday, 24th March, 1952, at 10 a.m. The President, in his opening remarks, apologised for the absence of Torquay United F. C., who had found it impossible to send a representative to the Meeting, and also referred to the accident which Mr. Richards, the Chairman of the Liverpool F. C., had had on Sunday night after arriving at the Hotel. He informed the Conference that, whilst the accident was not serious, Mr. Richards was confined to bed and was thus prevented from being present, and he was sure that the members would sympathise with him. Under the circumstances Mr. Richards had asked that the two items on the Agenda in the name of the Liverpool F. C. be withdrawn. In referring to the general conduct of the Meeting, the President requested that one representative only from each Club should speak on one topic. Provident The President then referred to the Report containing the recommendations of the special Scheme for Sub-Committee set up to consider the question of a Provident Scheme for Club Executives. The Club Report had been circulated to all Members and Associate Members, and it would be for them to Executives. decide at the Annual General Meeting whether or not a Scheme should be commenced. Mr. Ditchburn, on behalf of the Sunderland F. C., doubted whether, in view of the rising costs, Clubs would be able to afford this Scheme, much as they all would like to do so. Tottenham Hotspur F. C. and Luton Town F. C. asked questions on the Scheme, and although it was felt by the Conference that the Clubs had not had sufficient time to consider the proposals, the President stated that they would have an opportunity of doing so prior to the Annual General Meeting, when the Management Committee would put forward a proposal for its commencement. Broadcasting. The President reported, on behalf of the Management Committee, that, following the Meeting of Clubs in August last, they had discussed with the B. B. C. the conditions under which live broadcasting of matches should be permitted. The agreed conditions were:— The Schedule of Fixtures selected for broadcast to be regional and vary as to Divisions. No advance publicity of any kind as to the selected match. The prior consent of both Clubs was necessary. An overall fee of £2,000 be paid by the B. B. C. for Season 1951-52, the Schedule of matches to include League Matches, Cup Ties and Representative Games. In addition a Facilities Fee of £5 5s. 0d. to be paid to the Home Clubs for each match. He further reported that they interviewed an Agent, acting on behalf of Commercial interests, who sought to purchase the rights of recording excerpts of matches for subsequent broadcast from Radio Luxembourg, with appropriate interviews. No firm offer was received after it transpired that the B. B. C. were interested, and as the Management Committee were also concerned as to the nature of the commercial interest, the matter was dropped. In answer to a question from the Sunderland F. C., he informed the Meeting that the Joint Committee of the Football League and the Football Association had not yet considered the question of the division of the sum of £2,000. Ministry of The President then went on to deal with the Report of the Ministry of Labour Investigating Labour Committee, which had just been published. He reported that the Inquiry, which occupied seven Investigating days, embraced all the ramifications of professional Association Football, with particular Committee reference to the League Competition. The League had been represented by the President, the two Vice-Presidents, and the Secretary. The Football Association by Sir Leslie Bowker, Sir Stanley Rous, and Mr. E. Miller of the Football Association Office Staff. The investigation was held at the suggestion of the officials of the Ministry of Labour and by consent of the League, the Association and the Players' Union. The Investigating Committee was appointed by the Minister of Labour and comprised Sir John Forster, Q. C., as Chairman; and Messrs. H. Sutcliffe, G. H. Savage, G. B. Thorneycroft and Max Woosnam. A verbatim report of the proceedings was produced by the official Shorthand Writers and was available at this Meeting if anyone wished to see it. Briefly, the recommendations are:— (1) The Investigating Committee do not think that any alternative suggestion to the provisions of a maximum wage or the Retain and Transfer System (which would leave wages without ceiling and allow contracts of longer periods with no restrictions at the termination thereof) would make for the continued success of the League or would prove to the ultimate advantage of the players. (2) While not supporting the view of the Union that the maximum wage and transfer provisions should be abandoned, the Investigating Committee do think that considera- tion should be given to some amendment of them in favour of the player without impairing the financial stability of the Clubs. (3) The Investigating Committee think that there should be a maximum Transfer Fee of £15,000, this to be shared between the transferring Club, the Football Association for the general advancement of the game, and a jointly constituted body under an independent chairman to be used for benevolent purposes. (4) The Investigating Committee consider that players on the Transfer List should be in receipt of some remuneration. (5) The Investigating Committee consider that payments to players taking part in Representative games should be increased substantially. (6) The Investigating Committee think that the payment of Match Bonus and Talent Money should be obligatory. 1