Varsity match is in a degree of strife
THE Varsity match between Oxford and Cambridge, the oldest annual football fixture in the world, is under threat this year following a discrimination row.
Oxford are keen to stage the men’s and women’s matches back-to-back for the first time in order to create extra interest in the fixtures. League Two Barnet have offered to stage the inaugural double-header.
But Cambridge, who are understood to have a far more traditionalist football committee, want to continue with the men’s match at Fulham’s Craven Cottage and the women’s game at the Abbey Stadium — home of Cambridge United — on different dates.
There are further differences between the two universities. Oxford claim Cambridge were responsible for a financial deficit from last year’s match at Fulham through not selling enough tickets, but allegedly still want Oxford to help fill the hole in the accounts.
An independent, high-level source said: ‘Such are the ructions going on, there’s a possibility the Varsity match will not take place and there could be resignations on both sides. It’s got very personal.
‘Promoting Varsity women’s football by putting it on with the men’s match seems a great opportunity to boost the game but others don’t see it that way.’
To add to the impasse, it is Oxford’s turn to organise the men’s fixture and Cambridge the women’s.
The men’s clash has been held every year since 1873, apart from breaks for the first and second World Wars, making it the oldest recurring fixture. If the game does go ahead it will be the 133rd edition, with Oxford having won 51, Cambridge 49 with 32 draws. The women’s match started in 1986. SKY
Sports indulged Gary Neville (right) by screening a vanity-project documentary about his life as a pundit straight after Manchester United’s draw with Liverpool, for which he had been the co-commentator. It was co-produced by Sky and Neville’s own TV production company. However, viewers don’t seem to share Sky’s slavish obsession with Neville — the programme was seen by an average of just 260,000. SUrPrISE, surprise. Derby County, whose owner Mel Morris is campaigning about the poor value of Sky’s £90million-a-year Football League TV rights deal, do not feature in the next schedule of Sky matches announced since the rumpus started. The period includes Derby games against Nottingham Forest and Brighton that were screened by Sky last season. A Sky spokesman said there is no connection.
Meanwhile, the mooted friendly during the international break between Derby and Leeds, to showcase Morris’ TV rights strategy, has been canned. The game did not work for football reasons and Leeds’ new joint- owner Andrea radrizzani met with Morris to abort the project when the teams played at Elland road — in a Sky game — last Friday. RITCHIE
HUMPHREYS, who guided Chesterfield to victory in his first League One game as temporary manager, still wants to remain a player. Humphreys, 39, is chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association — for which a playing registration is necessary — and keen to remain in the post as long as possible.