Ford Sporting League

The Ford Sporting League was a short-lived English association football league sponsored by Ford Motor Company. The League's only season was that of 1970–1971. The league adopted a unique points system, intended to reward goalscoring and punish ill discipline. Clubs were awarded a point for every goal scored at home and two points for every goal scored away, but lost 5 points if a player was booked and 10 points if a player was sent off. [cite web| url=http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article200694.ece| title=British cup faces fight against odds| publisher="The Independent"| author=Graham Kelly| date=2002-02-04| accessdate=2008-07-26]

The competition was run over the first 42 league games (it did not apply to cup ties) only so that the first and second divisions were on an equal footing with divisions three and four.

Oldham Athletic won the league, winning a pot of £70,000. League rules stipulated the prize money be used on stadium improvements, so the money went to build a stand in the stadium. [cite web| url=http://www.oldhamathletic.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsUpdate/0,,10337~409535,00.html| title=Stadium sponsor sought| publisher=Oldham Athletic A.F.C.| date=2004-11-17| accessdate=2008-07-26]

The £70,000 prize fund was made up of 8 monthly prizes of £2,500 and then a final prize of £50,000. The points total was cumulative, which resulted in Oldham winning each prize available, as they picked up only four bookings and no red cards over the 42 game period.

Ford's sponsorship of the competition is notable, with the 1970–71 season marking a watershed for sponsorship in English football. In addition to the Ford Sporting League, the season saw the first Watney Cup and first Texaco Cup, although The Football League itself turned down an offer of £600,000 to sponsor the Football League Cup.

References