With the penultimate weekend of another Football League season upon us, here’s a check on the latest promotion and relegation issues in the English senior divisions.With the penultimate weekend of another Football League season upon us, here’s a check on the latest promotion and relegation issues in the English senior divisions.

PREMIERSHIP

Champions: If they beat Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday evening, Chelsea will claim the title.

Champions League Qualifiers: Arsenal and Manchester United are battling it out for second place which ensures automatic qualification while Everton, Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers are also competing for third and fourth. Subject to the impending ruling if Liverpool win the Champions League, the successful teams go in to the Qualifying rounds.

UEFA Cup Qualifiers: Due to Arsenal and Manchester United reaching the FA Cup Final, definitely fifth, sixth and seventh, plus a possible place through the Fair Play League.

Relegation: It seems like it’s down to one out of four will survive. With three games to go, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City are all on 30 points with Southampton two points in arrears.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Promoted: Sunderland are up and will clinch the title if they win at West Ham United tonight.
With two games to go, Wigan Athletic will join the Black Cats if they win at Preston North End and Ipswich Town fail to win their home game against Crewe Alexandra.

Play-Offs: It’s one of Ipswich or Wigan plus three out of Preston North End, Derby County, West Ham United, Reading and Sheffield United.

Relegated: Nottingham Forest will become the first former European Cup winners to fall into the third level of their domestic league if they lose at Queens Park Rangers.
Forest are also down if they draw and Crewe Alexandra (away to Ipswich) or Brighton & Hove Albion (away at Rotherham United) avoid defeat.
As well as Alex and Albion, Watford, Coventry City, Gillingham, Cardiff City are all still in danger of joining Rotherham in League One next season.

LEAGUE ONE

Promotion: Luton Town are the champions and Hull City are the runners-up.

Play-Offs: Tranmere Rovers plus three others out of Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday, Hartlepool United, AFC Bournemouth and Bristol City.

Relegated: Wrexham will join Stockport County and Peterborough United if they fail to win at Stockport.
Even then, the Dragons are down if Torquay United beat Blackpool at Plainmoor and Oldham Athletic avoid defeat at Chesterfield.
Milton Keynes Dons are also down if they lose at Peterborough and Torquay avoid defeat or if the Dons draw and Torquay win.

LEAGUE TWO

Promoted: If Swansea City lose their last game at The Vetch (against Shrewsbury Town), Southend United and Yeovil Town are both up if the draw their game at Roots Hall and Macclesfield Town fail to win at Cheltenham Town - otherwise it’s the winner that’s promoted. Scunthorpe United would also go up if they beat Bristol Rovers at Glanford Park.
If Swansea draw, the winner of the Southend - Yeovil game goes up along with Scunthorpe if they win.
If Swansea win, the winner of the Southend - Yeovil game will have a three-point advantage with one game to play.

Play-Offs: As far down as Rochdale in 10th still have a chance with two games to go.

Relegated: Unless Kidderminster Harriers can challenge their biggest-ever win (25-0 v Hereford in 1889), they will join Cambridge United in the Conference next season. Harriers have to make up a Goal Difference of 21 and Rushden & Diamonds must lose both their remaining games.

CONFERENCE

Champions: Barnet are back in the Football League after a four-year absence

Play-Offs: It’s Carlisle United against Aldershot Town and Hereford United versus Stevenage Borough in the semis.

Relegated: Forest Green Rovers join Farnborough and Leigh RMI unless Northwich Victoria fail a ground regulation inspection.

The FIFA / Coca-Cola World Rankings for April 2005 have been announced.The FIFA / Coca-Cola World Rankings for April 2005 have been announced.

Victories over Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan in the recent Group Six qualifiers mean England have gone above Spain and Mexico and are now in sixth place.

The Republic of Ireland are down three to 15th while Wales first showing under John Toshack mean they are down two to 73rd.

Scotland, under new manager Walter Smith, are up two to joint 86th but Northern Ireland go down two to 113th.

The biggest movers are Belgium who are up ten to 41st.

Brazil are still at No. 1 the list with the Czech Republic replacing France in second to become Europe’s highest-ranking team.

The full list is:
Rank Team Pts: +/-Pts: +/-Rank
Apr-05 Mar-05 Mar-05
1 Brazil 834 -2 0   
2 Czech Republic 783 9 2   
3 Argentina 780 3 0   
4 France 777 -5 -2   
5 Netherlands 763 13 2   
6 England 757 11 2   
7 Spain 755 -4 -2   
8 Mexico 754 2 -2   
9 Portugal 741 1 0   
10 Italy 735 -1 0   
10 USA 735 -1 0   
12 Greece 726 15 2   
13 Sweden 723 10 0   
14 Turkey 719 14 1   
15 Republic of Ireland 710 -4 -3   
16 Uruguay 709 4 -1   
17 Japan 703 1 1   
18 Denmark 702 -1 -1   
19 Iran 701 12 1   
20 Germany 698 -4 -2   
21 Croatia 688 14 3   
22 Costa Rica 687 2 -1   
22 Korea Republic 687 3 0   
24 Nigeria 678 -4 -1   
25 Poland 677 14 2   
26 Cameroon 666 -3 -1   
27 Colombia 661 -4 -1   
28 Egypt 660 8 3   
28 Paraguay 660 2 0   
30 Romania 654 -2 -1   
31 Russia 653 9 2   
31 Saudi Arabia 653 0 -1   
33 Senegal 648 -1 -1   
34 Ecuador 639 11 2   
35 Morocco 637 -3 -1   
36 Norway 626 -3 -1   
37 Finland 625 -3 -1   
37 South Africa 625 9 3   
39 Tunisia 622 -3 -1   
40 Bulgaria 620 0 -1   
41 Belgium 615 23 10   
42 Jamaica 614 0 -1   
42 Ukraine 614 19 4   
44 Côte d’Ivoire 610 6 -2   
45 Switzerland 608 14 4   
46 Slovenia 602 1 -2   
47 Serbia and Montenegro 600 5 -1   
48 Jordan 599 -5 -6   
48 Slovakia 599 16 6   
50 Bahrain 597 9 2   
51 Honduras 594 1 -1   
51 Israel 594 6 1   
53 Iraq 593 -3 -8   
54 Uzbekistan 588 -7 -8   
55 Kuwait 585 2 -1   
56 Australia 580 6 3   
57 Mali 578 -5 -3   
58 China PR 577 -5 -1   
59 Oman 576 -6 -2   
60 Guatemala 573 7 2   
61 Trinidad and Tobago 568 0 -1   
62 Zimbabwe 567 2 1   
63 Belarus 566 6 3   
64 Cuba 563 -5 -4   
65 Latvia 560 1 2   
65 Peru 560 5 5   
67 Libya 558 -5 -3   
67 Qatar 558 1 1   
69 Hungary 556 0 0   
70 Venezuela 555 -7 -5   
70 Zambia 555 8 2   
72 Austria 550 30 8   
73 Wales 546 -6 -2   
74 Angola 544 -3 -2   
75 Congo DR 532 4 1   
76 Algeria 530 -1 -1   
76 Chile 530 -8 -2   
76 Ghana 530 6 3   
79 Kenya 528 3 -2   
79 Togo 528 18 8   
81 Bosnia-Herzegovina 522 -3 -4   
82 Estonia 516 -3 0   
83 Thailand 513 -7 -3   
84 Canada 511 -2 0   
85 United Arab Emirates 510 -5 -2   
86 Scotland 509 0 2   
86 Syria 509 -2 0   
88 Burkina Faso 508 -5 -4   
89 Albania 505 -4 -1   
89 Guinea 505 -4 -1   
91 Korea DPR 503 -5 0   
92 Haiti 502 -1 1   
92 Indonesia 502 -2 0   
94 Bolivia 500 19 2   
95 Iceland 489 1 0   
96 FYR Macedonia 487 -4 -2   
97 Panama 484 6 0   
98 Lithuania 476 9 4   
99 New Zealand 473 -3 -1   
100 Turkmenistan 472 -3 -1   
101 Rwanda 471 -3 -1   
102 Georgia 470 -4 -2   
103 Sudan 464 6 4   
104 Singapore 461 0 0   
105 Botswana 460 -2 -2   
106 Gabon 456 -3 0   
107 Vietnam 455 -5 -2   
108 Malawi 444 -4 0   
109 Cyprus 440 3 4   
110 El Salvador 439 -2 0   
110 Uganda 439 1 2   
112 Lebanon 438 -5 -3   
113 Northern Ireland 435 -4 -2   
114 Malaysia 433 0 0   
115 Moldova 431 -2 -1   
116 Azerbaijan 427 -1 0   
117 Congo 422 0 1   
118 St. Lucia 419 -4 -1   
119 St. Kitts and Nevis 408 -3 0   
120 Armenia 406 9 0   
121 Cape Verde Islands 405 31 8   
122 Barbados 392 0 -1   
123 Benin 389 -1 -1   
124 Yemen 383 0 -1   
125 Liberia 381 2 -1   
126 Hong Kong 380 1 -2   
127 Tahiti 377 -1 -1   
128 Palestine 372 -3 0   
129 Mozambique 371 -5 -2   
130 Solomon Islands 370 -2 1   
130 Swaziland 370 -4 -1   
132 Ethiopia 367 1 0   
133 Faroe Islands 361 -2 0   
134 St. Vincent & Grenadines 359 0 1   
135 India 357 -4 -1   
136 Fiji 349 -2 0   
137 Malta 348 -2 0   
138 Tajikistan 347 -3 -1   
139 Andorra 342 -3 0   
140 Sri Lanka 338 -3 0   
141 Maldives 331 -6 0   
142 Liechtenstein 330 2 2   
143 Mauritius 328 -2 0   
144 Lesotho 327 -4 -2   
145 Vanuatu 324 1 0   
146 Burundi 321 -1 0   
147 Myanmar 317 -1 0   
148 Grenada 312 -3 0   
149 Kazakhstan 306 -2 0   
150 Madagascar 305 -3 -1   
151 Surinam 293 -2 0   
152 Kyrgyzstan 287 -7 0   
153 Chinese Taipei 270 -2 0   
154 Nicaragua 261 4 2   
155 Antigua and Barbuda 260 -5 -1   
156 Luxembourg 258 0 -1   
157 Gambia 254 -3 -1   
158 Bermuda 251 -3 0   
159 Namibia 246 11 0   
160 San Marino 240 9 1   
161 Chad 231 -3 -1   
162 Papua New Guinea 229 0 0   
163 Sierra Leone 226 -3 -1   
164 Laos 224 -2 0   
165 British Virgin Islands 219 -1 0   
166 Netherlands Antilles 218 -2 -1   
167 Dominica 213 -3 0   
168 Bangladesh 212 -3 0   
169 Eritrea 201 -2 0   
170 Equatorial Guinea 192 -2 0   
171 Dominican Republic 191 -2 0   
172 Tanzania 182 -2 0   
173 Seychelles 175 -1 0   
174 Niger 173 -2 0   
175 Mauritania 168 -2 0   
176 Cayman Islands 165 -2 0   
176 Samoa 165 -1 1   
178 Nepal 164 -2 -1   
178 Pakistan 164 -2 -1   
180 Belize 157 -1 0   
181 Central African Republic 149 -2 0   
182 Guyana 144 -1 0   
182 Mongolia 144 -1 0   
184 Tonga 136 -1 0   
185 Cambodia 123 -1 0   
186 New Caledonia 118 0 0   
187 Philippines 98 -1 0   
188 Bhutan 96 0 0   
189 Somalia 94 0 0   
190 Macao 90 -1 0   
191 Guinea-Bissau 89 -1 0   
192 Bahamas 88 -1 1   
192 Cook Islands 88 -2 -1   
194 Puerto Rico 74 -1 0   
195 São Tomé e Príncipe 72 -1 0   
196 US Virgin Islands 69 -1 0   
197 Anguilla 64 0 0   
198 Aruba 62 -1 0   
199 Brunei Darussalam 61 -1 0   
200 Afghanistan 57 0 0   
201 Djibouti 41 -1 0   
202 Montserrat 35 0 0   
203 Turks & Caicos Islands 27 0 0   
204 Guam 20 0 0   
205 American Samoa 18 0 0   

Chelsea and Liverpool meet in the Champions League tonight but do you remember the Blues and the Reds previous meetings with English clubs in European cup competitions?Chelsea and Liverpool meet in the Champions League tonight but do you remember the Blues and the Reds previous meetings with English clubs in European cup competitions?

Still fresh in the mind is Chelsea’s Champions League success in the all-London quarter final against Arsenal last season. Eidur Gudjohnsen and Robert Pires shared the first leg goals then goals from Frank Lampard and Wayne Bridge at Highbury brought a single Gunners reply from Jose Antonio Reyes.

Liverpool last came up against English opposition in the first round of the European Cup in 1978-79 when goals from Nottingham Forest’s Garry Birtles and Colin Barrett in the first leg at the City Ground brought a swift end to the reigning champions defence.

Bill Shankley’s Liverpool got the better of Tottenham Hotspur in the 1972-73 semi-final of the UEFA Cup on away goals. Alec Lindsay and Steve Heighway were on the mark for the Reds while Martin Peters scored both the Spurs goals.

Chelsea met Manchester City in the semi-final of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1970-71. Derek Smethurst gave Chelsea the advantage at Stamford Bridge with City keeper Ron Healey conceding an own goal at Maine Road to send Dave Sexton’s Blues through to the final against Real Madrid.

Also in April 1971, a goal by the late Billy Bremner for Leeds United at Anfield defeated Liverpool in the semi-final of the Fairs Cup.

UEFA’s new ruling concerning the imposition of homegrown talent in European competition squads has been greeted with a mixed reception by the FA.UEFA’s new ruling concerning the imposition of homegrown talent in European competition squads has been greeted with a mixed reception by the FA.

The governing body would prefer national associations to impose quotas in their leagues to create a more level playing field.

Although raising no objection, Football Association executive director David Davies has stressed that they would not be implemented in the Barclays Premiership in the foreseeable future.

Talking to PA Sport, Mr Davies said: “There are reservations in a number of countries and our view is that we have no plans to extend this domestically.

“We are not in the business of gesture politics but we will discuss this with the Professional Games Board in early May.

“Will the object of these proposals actually be achieved? Perhaps all that will happen is that some clubs will go abroad to bring in players at an even younger age.”

From the season the 2006-07 season, four ‘homegrown’ players must be included in the 25-man squads for Champions League and UEFA Cup games - at least two trained by a club’s own academy with a further two developed by other clubs within the same association.

In the following two seasons, one additional place for a club-trained player and one additional place for an association-trained player would be reserved on the so-called ‘A’ list.

Therefore, by the start of the 2008-9 season, the impact will be much greater as the minimum number of homegrown players required per club will rise to eight - four club-trained and four home country - or almost one third of the total squad size.

In suggesting a legal challenge from the wealthiest clubs, UEFA chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson commented: “We know that there are a few clubs questioning the program, but we have also understood they are definitely a minority in their own leagues.

“You never know what will happen if it gets caught up in court, but we’ve had very positive feedback from the European Commission.”

Vice-president Per Ravn Omdal told UEFA’s official web site: “It is a matter of fundamental importance for the future of football.

“We have to improve the quality of player training - and after a consultation process on our proposals, we believe that a broad consensus has emerged.

“UEFA has a responsibility to deal with the issue to safeguard the future of football. Not enough is being done to train young players.”

Related Links:
Declaration of the UEFA Congress on the subject of local training of players
Football’s Coming Homegrown

The XXIX Ordinary UEFA Congress in Tallinn also agreed that Lennart Johansson should extend his final term as UEFA president for another year.

Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer are expected to put their names forward for the top UEFA post.

The Professional Footballers’ Association’s annual awards dinner was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London last night with Chelsea’s John Terry and Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney being named as the major award winners.The Professional Footballers’ Association’s annual awards dinner was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London last night with Chelsea’s John Terry and Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney being named as the major award winners.

PFA Player of the Year
John Terry (Chelsea)

PFA Young Player of the Year
Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

PFA Special Merit Award
Shaka Hislop (Portsmouth)

Premier League Team of Season:
Petr Cech (Chelsea)
Gary Neville (Manchester United)
John Terry (Chelsea)
Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United)
Ashley Cole (Arsenal)
Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Arjen Robben (Chelsea)
Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
Andy Johnson (Crystal Palace)

PFA Championship Team of Season:
Kelvin Davis (Ipswich Town)
Graham Alexander (Preston North End)
Tom Huddlestone (Derby County)
Gary Breen (Sunderland)
George McCartney (Sunderland)
Jimmy Bullard (Wigan Athletic)
Steve Sidwell (Reading)
Julio Arca (Sunderland)
Inigo Idiakez (Derby County)
Nathan Ellington (Wigan Athletic)
Jason Roberts (Wigan Athletic)

PFA League One Team of Season:
Marlon Beresford (Luton Town)
Ryan Taylor (Tranmere Rovers)
Curtis Davies (Luton Town)
Chris Coyne (Luton Town)
Warren Cummings (AFC Bournemouth)
Stuart Elliott (Hull City)
Paul Merson (Walsall)
Ahmet Brkovic (Luton Town)
Kevin Nicholls (Luton Town)
Steve Howard (Luton Town)
Leroy Lita (Bristol City)

PFA League Two Team of Season:
Chris Weale (Yeovil Town)
Sam Ricketts (Swansea City)
Adam Barrett (Southend United)
Andy Crosby (Scunthorpe United)
Michael Rose (Yeovil Town)
Lee Johnson (Yeovil Town)
Darren Way (Yeovil Town)
Kevin Maher (Southend United)
Peter Beagrie (Scunthorpe United)
Phil Jevons (Yeovil Town)
Lee Trundle (Swansea City)

Related Link:

Professional Footballers’ Association Official Web Site

With the season drawing top an exciting close, here’s a check on the latest state of play with the English senior divisions’ promotion and relegation issues.With the season drawing top an exciting close, here’s a check on the latest state of play with the English senior divisions’ promotion and relegation issues.

PREMIERSHIP

Champions: If they beat Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Chelsea will be the champions for the first time in fifty years if Arsenal fail to beat Tottenham Hotspur at Highbury on Monday

Champions League Qualifiers: Manchester United and Arsenal are vying for second place which ensures automatic qualification while Everton, Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers are also competing for third and fourth. The successful teams go in to the Qualifying rounds.

UEFA Cup Qualifiers: Due to Arsenal and Manchester United reaching the FA Cup Final, definitely fifth, sixth and seventh, plus a possible place through the Fair Play League.

Relegation: It seems like it’s down to one out of four will survive. West Bromwich Albion - with a game in hand over the rest - are a point ahead of Southampton and two ahead of Crystal Palace and Norwich City

CHAMPIONSHIP

Promoted: It’s two out of three with Sunderland three points ahead of Wigan Athletic and five clear of Ipswich Town. All have three to play.

Play-Offs: It looks like one of Ipswich, Wigan or Sunderland plus three out of Preston North End, Reading, Derby County, Sheffield United and West Ham United.

Relegated: Nottingham Forest will join doomed Rotherham United if they lose at home to Burnley on Saturday, and would become the first former European Cup winners to fall into the third level of their domestic league. Watford, Coventry City, Gillingham, Cardiff City, Crewe Alexandra and Brighton & Hove Albion are all in danger.

LEAGUE ONE

Promotion: Luton Town and Hull City have claimed the two places and are now tussling for the title.

Play-Offs: Tranmere plus three others out of Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday, Hartlepool United, AFC Bournemouth and Bristol City.

Relegated: Stockport County are down and will be joined by Peterborough United if the Posh don’t win on Saturday (away at Bournemouth) or either Milton Keynes Dons (home to Bristol City) or Torquay United (away to Oldham Athletic) avoid defeat. Along with the Dons, Wrexham, Torquay United and Oldham Athletic are trying to avoid the other two places.

LEAGUE TWO

Promoted: In a close contest, the top three go up with Southend United, Yeovil Town and Scunthorpe United in position at the moment.

Play-Offs: With three games to go, as far down as Rochdale in tenth place are still hopeful of filling the final fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh positions.

Relegated: Cambridge United are down if they don’t win on Saturday (Rochdale at home) or Rushden & Diamonds avoid defeat (away at Darlington). Kidderminster Harriers (away at Boston United) are also down if their result is worse than Rushden’s.

CONFERENCE

Champions: Barnet have already booked their place back in the Football League after a four-year absence

Play-Offs: Carlisle United and Hereford United have qualified and, with 90 minutes to play, will be joined by two out of Morecambe, Aldershot, Stevenage Borough, Exeter City and Woking

Relegated: Forest Green Rovers and Farnborough join Leigh RMI unless Northwich Victoria and Gravesend & Northfleet fail ground regulation inspections.

Our photo shows the Chelsea team that won the League Championship in 1955.

Although Brazil have taken their World Cup crown and they have no representatives in the semi-finals of the Champions, France still comes out on top of at least one global league.Although Brazil have taken their World Cup crown and they have no representatives in the semi-finals of the Champions, France still comes out on top of at least one global league.

An article in The Times this week revealed details of the latest American Football TV deal that has seen the Walt Disney Company and NBC Universal pay a combined £6.6 billion to air matches on Sunday and Monday nights.

The deal will see Disney’s ESPN sports cable network pay $1.125 billion a year over eight years to take Monday Night Football away from Disney’s ABC network, while NBC will pay $600 million a year to air Sunday Night Football games over six years.

Although the figures dwarf those that are paid by European broadcasters, they are put in a different light when the costs are assessed per capita.

It is especially illuminating for those with an interest in French football, with reporter Nic Hopkins relating fears of a repeat of recent history in England.

Nic explained: “The rising value of live sports was underscored last December when Vivendi Universal’s Canal Plus unit paid a record €1.8 billion (£1.23 billion) to broadcast France’s Ligue 1 matches over three years.

“That deal overshadows the current £1.1 billion deal held by the BBC and BSkyB to broadcast live Premiership games in the UK. That deal is smaller than the £1.65 billion contract for domestic broadcast rights that preceded it.

“The Ligue 1 deal is the most expensive broadcast contract in the world per capita and some analysts believe that Canal Plus hugely overpaid. They expressed concern that the deal might mirror the ill-fated ITV Digital’s £315 million bid to televise UK Football League matches in 2000. ITV Digital collapsed in May 2002 owing £178 million to the Football League.”

The League of Broadcasting Big Spenders is shown below:

At their meeting in Tallinn yesterday, the UEFA Executive Committee has decided to dispense with the Play-Off format for the Euro 2008 championships.At their meeting in Tallinn yesterday, the UEFA Executive Committee has decided to dispense with the Play-Off format for the Euro 2008 championships.

The qualifying phase for Euro 2008, which begins in the autumn of 2006, will consist of one group of eight teams and six groups of seven. Co-hosts Austria and Switzerland will qualify automatically along with the winners and runners-up of the seven qualifying groups.

The format for Euro 2004 in Portugal involved ten group winners qualifying for the final tournament, along with the host country and the winners of five qualifying Play-Offs (Holland, Spain, Croatia, Latvia and Russia). No qualifying play-offs will be staged for Euro 2008.

The Executive Committee also decided that the 2006 Champions League Final will be played at the Stade de France in Paris while the Olympic Stadium in Athens will host the 2007 final.

The Stade de France staged the final in 2000 when Real Madrid beat Valencia. Athens’s Olympic Stadium will be hosting its first European final since being rebuilt for the 2004 Games.

The 2006 UEFA Cup final will be held at the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven. The 2007 final will be at Glasgow’s Hampden Park, which hosted the 2002 Champions League final.

Related Link

UEFA Executive Committee Meeting - Tallinn April 2005

Early in the year, we were of the belief that a unique event in English football could have occurred when three Holsgrove brothers all scored in Windsor & Eton’s 3-3 draw with Heybridge Swifts in a Ryman League Premier Division game on Saturday 8 January 2005.
We now know that - although very rare - it is not the first time it has happened.Early in the year, we were of the belief that a unique event in English football could have occurred when three Holsgrove brothers all scored in Windsor & Eton’s 3-3 draw with Heybridge Swifts in a Ryman League Premier Division game on Saturday 8 January 2005. We now know that - although very rare - it is not the first time it has happened.

Paul, Peter and Lee all put the Holsgrove name on the score sheet for the Royalists at Stag Meadow.

We are now aware that three other brothers - Tom, Frank and Harry Keetley - all scored for Doncaster Rovers in a 5-1 win against Durham City in the Third Division (North) at Belle Vue on 9 April 1927.

The lads were three of the 11 sons (and one daughter) of Mr and Mrs William Keetley of Graham Street in Derby.

Nine of the boys went on to play for a local amateur team called Victoria Ironworks, six of them played in the Football League and, generally, they weren’t lacking in the ability of scoring goals.

Tom, who also played for Derby County, Bradford Park Avenue, Notts County, Lincoln City and Gresley Rovers, became one of the first greats in Doncaster’s history by virtue of 180 goals in 231 league appearances including six against Ashington on 16 February 1929.

He wasn’t the only Keetley to hit six. Frank did it for Lincoln City in the space of 21 minutes in a 9-1 drubbing of Halifax Town on 16 January 1932. Usually operating as a winger, Frank counted Derby County, Bradford City, Hull City, Margate and Worcester City amongst his other clubs.

Tom, Frank and Harry were joined at Doncaster by Joe - also of Bolton Wanderers, Accrington Stanley, Liverpool, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Wrexham and Horwich RMI.

All four were signed by manager Dick Ray who went on to sign a fifth Keetley - Charlie - when he was later in charge of Leeds United. In keeping with the family tradition, Charlie - later of Bradford City and Reading - made himself popular with an avalanche of goals. He started scoring on his debut against South Shields on 31 December 1927 and went on to score 110 goals in 169 games during his time at Elland Road.

Albert made three appearances in the Football League for Burton United while Billy, Arthur and Jack all played professionally. The two remaining brothers (named in various sources as either Sid and Lawrence or George and Jim) played at amateur level.

We would like to thank Bob Dunning for his help. His football speciality is the 1970-71 season as you’ll discover at his Bob and the 1970-71 Footballers site.

Naturally, if you think there are more examples of three of more brothers scoring in a game, we’d be delighted and grateful to hear from you. Please forward the details to mark@11v11.com

With the season drawing top an exciting close, here’s a check on the latest state of play with the English senior divisions’ promotion and relegation issues.With the season drawing top an exciting close, here’s a check on the latest state of play with the English senior divisions’ promotion and relegation issues.

PREMIERSHIP

Champions: If they win their next two games (at Arsenal on 20 April and Fulham at Stamford Bridge on 23 April), Chelsea will be crowned champions for the first time since 1955

Champions League Qualifiers: Manchester United and Arsenal are vying for second place which ensures automatic qualification while Everton, Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers are also competing for third and fourth. The successful teams go in to the Qualifying rounds.

UEFA Cup Qualifiers: Fifth, sixth and possibly seventh, plus a possible place through the Fair Play League.

Relegation: Bottom three go down and it appears that only one of Southampton, West Bromwich Albion, Crystal Palace and Norwich City will survive. The latter two meet at Selhurst Park tomorrow.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Promoted: The top two go up and it seems to be a contest between Sunderland, Wigan Athletic and Ipswich Town. Sunderland travel to Ipswich on Sunday.

Play-Offs: It looks like one of Ipswich, Wigan or Sunderland plus three out of Preston North End, Reading, Derby County, Sheffield United and West Ham United.

Relegated: Rotherham United are already down and two more will join the Millers.

LEAGUE ONE

Promotion: Luton Town clinched promotion in midweek and Hull City can claim the second promotion spot tomorrow (home to Swindon Town) if they match or better Tranmere Rovers’ result (home to Blackpool)

Play-Offs: Tranmere or Hull City plus three others out of Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday, Hartlepool United, AFC Bournemouth, Bristol City and Huddersfield Town. Hartlepool United welcome Sheffield Wednesday to Victoria Park tonight.

Relegated: Stockport County are down and will be joined by Peterborough United if the Posh have a worse result tomorrow (home to Walsall) than Milton Keynes Dons (away to Luton Town). Wrexham, Torquay United and Oldham Athletic join Walsall and Milton Keynes to avoid the two other places.

LEAGUE TWO

Promoted: In a close contest, the top three go up with Yeovil Town, Southend United and Scunthorpe United in position at the moment.

Play-Offs: As far down as Rochdale in tenth place are still hopeful of filling the final fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh positions.

Relegated: It’s the bottom two that go down and Cambridge United and Kidderminster Harriers have to make up a six and four point gap respectively on Rushden & Diamonds.

CONFERENCE

Champions: Barnet are back in the Football League after a four-year absence

Play-Offs: All down to Exeter City in tenth place in contention for four available places.

Relegated: Forest Green Rovers join already relegated Leigh RMI and Farnborough Town if Canvey Island beat Scarborough tomorrow. Forest Green don’t play again until Tuesday.