Regionalisation set to return?
A report on the Nationwide website says that Division Two and Three clubs are being urged to consider regionalisation by the latest financial report into the state of English football.
Financial consultants Deloitte and Touche have produced the report which concludes that 70 per cent of turnover is the 'comfort' level for expenditure on wages and their head of sport Gerry Boon believes regionalisation could help save clubs £100,000 a year.
"We raised this issue in 1997 but there was a lot of emotion of anger against it," said Boon.
"However, most of the other recommendations we made at the time have been implemented and people are now bringing it back on to the agenda.
"The issue is not about saving on travelling costs, it is about looking at ways to generate significantly more money.
"The games would generate more interest because there are more local derbies and more travelling fans.
"In 1997 we estimated that each club could gain an additional £50,000 a year if they regionalised the league. Now we are probably looking at £100,000."
