Ford Sporting League
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The Ford Sporting League was a short-lived English 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.[1]
Oldham Athletic A.F.C. 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.[2]
Ford's sponsorship of the competition is notable, with the 1970-1971 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.[3]
