WIDE GAPS APPEARING AT THE BOTTOM

The Football League was formed after a letter from William McGregor, a Scottish director at Aston Villa, to various clubs in the Midlands and North of England. This was sent on March 2nd 1988. A meeting on March 23rd brought the various clubs together for a conference and the following clubs joined in:-
Blackburn, Bolton, Preston, WBA, Villa, Accrington, Burnley, Derby, Everton, Notts County, Stoke and Wolves. The new venture was to be called the Football League, hoping to attract some Scottish teams.

On April 17th, the League was formed and five months later it began. McGregor's Aston Villa won five titles by the end of the century!!

Today, with Chelsea (1st in the Premier League) and Tottenham (2nd) both have not yet played this weekend, the gap between the two is 10 points-as far as top slot is concerned, is it job done?

The north-east is in danger of losing PL three teams through relegation; Sunderland, Hull and Middlesbrough teetering.

Newcastle have just gone ahead at Huddersfield in the Championship game, which should they win would take them 11 points clear of the Terriers who were in third place.
Brighton sit between the two at the moment 2 points behind the Magpies but maybe losing touch?

Poor Rotherham are miles behind at the other end, having played 34 and gathered a puny 17 points (4 wins and 5 draws). Wigan are 14 points above them.

In League One, Sheffield United, with 69 points, are flying high, 5 points in front of Fleetwood (who have made remarkable progress in recent years) and 8 ahead of Scunthorpe.
Good to see these two clubs in the ascendency.

At the other end of the division Coventry City are "root" with a measley 26 points, 5pts under Chesterfield and 9 under Port Vale.

In League Two, Doncaster are 4 points ahead of Plymouth and 9 ahead of Carlisle (after these two played each other today, Plymouth winning 2-0).

Struggling Newport County have 26 points, with only 5 wins and 11 draws out of 34 (the same record as Coventry) 6 points below bankrupt Leyton Orient who are lurking 5 short of Notts County. Orient had a great win today though SADLY away at poor old Newport.

In the Vanarama National League, Lincoln City are top but only by 3 points, a respectable margin, though the Imps have a game in hand. It's tight at the other end with Southport, York City and North Ferriby in danger of falling out of the division.

In the Vanarama Northern League, highly invested AFC Fylde are leading highly invested Salford City by 11 points, who with 59 points share a points total with Kidderminster Harriers and Chorley.

At the bottom Worcester City are on the edge of the relegation zone, but 14 points ahead of Stalybridge Celtic and 16 ahead of Altrincham, who must be doomed.

In the Vanarama Southern League, Margate are being left behind, Bishop's Stortford, 7 points ahead, almost out of sight.

GOOD TO SEE NONE OF THE ORIGINALS IN TOO MUCH BOTHER.