July 5 2002

Nationwide Division One

Nationwide football is back on TV again after Sky agreed a £95m contract with the Football League over four years.

The agreement is great news for Crystal Palace and the Nationwide clubs facing financial uncertainty after the collapse of ITV Digital football contract.

The new TV agreement covers 50 Division One games and 10 from the other divisions along with the Worthington Cup.

Matches will be played on Saturday afternoons at 5.35pm, Friday nights and Sunday afternoons.

Football League chief executive David Burns said: "This is great news for the Football League and its clubs.

"This agreement will help to provide financial stability to clubs at a very important time, as well as top-class coverage of our games."

Vic Wakeling, managing director of Sky Sports said: "Sky are delighted to be involved with The Football League and we hope that the clubs can now plan for the future."

The League will still go ahead with legal action against the owners of ITV Digital, Carlton and Granada, at the High Court in London on July 26.