Four U.K. soccer clubs may lose status

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 21

Four U.K. soccer clubs may lose status

NZPA-AFP London Four clubs face expulsion from the English First Division in two years’ time under radical plans currently being discussed by the football league’s management committee. The first division days of Wimbledon, Oxford, Luton and Queen’s Park Rangers are threatened by suggestions being considered by the committee for the top flight as they seek to end the danger of a “super ' league” once and for all. The committee want all , grounds to have a minimum capacity of 20,000, which would rule out Wimbledon j and Oxford, and for there to be no artificial, pitches, which would affect Q.P.R. and Luton. ; ■ Luton’s existence in a

new-look division one would also be endangered by the committee’s insistence on clubs providing adequate facilities for away fans. Other proposed requirements for the division, which would have to be introduced by 1989, are for a minimum of three seats to one standing place at grounds and that clubs must remain solvent.

“We simply have to give supporters better facilities,” said the Chelsea chairman, Mr Ken Bates, who is spearheading the committee’s revolutionary ideas.

“That means they must all be under cover, and it means top-class toilet facilities,, good catering and certainly matches on grass. “If those with plastic pitches want to keep them,

they can have their own special division,” said Mr Bates.

• Billy Abercrombie, the first professional footballer to be sent off three times in one game, this week celebrated the end of his threemonth ban by scoring in a reserve match for the Scottish premier league side, St Mirren.

Abercrombie was shown the red card three times in a match against Motherwell last October before he was persuaded to leave the pitch.

“From now on I will be the player whose mouth is always shut,” Abercrombie said. “The mad 39 seconds of talking back cost me dear, but I have learned my lesson.”