Telford Game Off

Today's Nationwide Conference clash between Hereford United and Telford United at Edgar Street is off.

The club said a frozen pitch has forced its postponement.

In other news Football League chief executive David Burns rejected calls by Chelsea managing director Colin Hutchinson for lower division sides to operate as "nursery clubs" for Premiership teams (as reported on January 1st). Hutchinson had claimed the move would save many small clubs from extinction. However, Burns said research on such a proposal had already ruled it out.

He told the press: "The Football League undertook a year-long re-examination of the principles behind the restriction on club associations with a working party of nine club chairmen. It was the unanimous belief that in the interests of fair competition, clubs should continue to be required to maintain their independence and not become subsidiaries of other more senior clubs. In addition fans do not want to see their clubs turned into reserve sides for Premier League clubs. They would lose the sense of identity they currently have with the clubs they support."

---