Football: Financial experts fear for League's lesser lights

On Thursday, the Nationwide League proposed sweeping changes to the structure of the game. Yesterday financial experts predicted that some Second and Third Division clubs may still lose their full professional status. Phil Casey reports.

Experts predict that Second and Third Division clubs could be forced to go part-time in less than five years.

More than three-quarters of the 72 Nationwide League clubs lost money last year, the League as a whole making losses of pounds 48m, and on Thursday the Football League unveiled radical plans to shake up the competition's structure and rules in an attempt to increase interest and revenue for clubs.

But analysts believe it could already be too late to prevent smaller clubs from having to go semi-professional.

"The amount of money being lost at the lower club level means it is not possible for these clubs to carry on," William Davies, of stockbrokers Albert E Sharp, said. "Ultimately, the bottom two divisions will have to go part-time and that will improve their finances substantially."

The League's proposals include re-organising the League to include a 12-club Super League outside the Premiership, six divisions of 12 clubs each and several other structures.

They also propose awarding bonus points for teams leading at half-time, points for winning margins and even penalty shoot-outs at the end of drawn games. But Davies believes these measures smack of "a desperate need to try and do something. But it's getting harder and harder and it's only going to get worse. It's a bright future if you're a Manchester United fan but for anyone else..."

Neville Southall is in talks with Huddersfield. Everton's Welsh international goalkeeper has been offered to the Yorkshire club on loan to help them out of a crisis - Vince Bartram returns to Arsenal in a week.

Coventry manager Gordon Strachan has made an inquiry for the Feyenoord defender George Boateng as he bids to shore up his side. The 22-year-old is rated at pounds 4m by his club.

Tony Daley believes he is on the way to a successful comeback after a run-out for Wolves reserves. The 30-year-old former England and Aston Villa winger appeared for the final 23 minutes in Wednesday's Pontins League win at Port Vale, his first action in more than 18 months following an operation to repair a ruptured tendon in his knee.

Sheffield Wednesday have released the on-trial striker Primoz Gliha, of Slovenia's Olimpija Club.

Ilkeston have won police backing to stage their FA Cup replay at home despite recent crowd trouble in the Dr Martens League side's first game against Scunthorpe. However, officials have agreed to reduce the capacity of their New Manor Ground home to 2,350 for the all-ticket replay next Wednesday. Seven people were charged after trouble at Glanford Park last Saturday, when police used CS gas for the first time in a British ground.

Tunisia, one of England's group opponents in the World Cup, are to play a friendly with Wales in the build-up to next year's finals.

The Southend midfielder Mike Marsh, 28, is to retire following persistent knee trouble. He played for Liverpool, West Ham and Coventry before joining Southend from Galatasaray in 1995.