The 72 Endsleigh League chairmen met in London for three hours to discuss the five-year offer by the

The 72 Endsleigh League chairmen met in London for three hours to discuss the five-year offer by the FA and a rival bid from the Premier League. The Football Association last night withdrew its pounds 118.5m television offer to the Football League after clubs failed to meet the deadline for a decision on a new deal. Livingston head the table and, after continuing to play their home games at Meadowbank Stadium in Edinburgh, are now ready to move."The stadium is ready for tomorrow but the gala opening will be on 18 November against Cowdenbeath," Jim Renton, the Livingston secretary, said.. The Second Division rivals went in at half-time level at 1-1, but Walsall took command with a goal from player-coach Kevin Wilson and another from Scott Houghton after a quick free-kick..

Scottish football Scotland's newest ground has been given the green light to open today as the Almondvale stadium hosts a Livingston match for the first time. The Bell's Scottish Third Division leaders face East Stirling with their pounds 5m new ground at Livingston finally ready for business. Jim Leishman took over the the team, formerly known as Meadowbank Thistle, during the summer and results have been spectacular. Such is the wonder of the FA Cup.n Walsall played superbly to win 3-1 at Burnley last night and become the first team to move into the second round of the FA Cup. Defeat will hurt just as much, and victory taste equally sweet.

For the side 22nd in the Third Division, a repeat could undermine Ray Clemence's tenure as manager.Meanwhile, Chris Price will be appearing at the Causeway, Cinderford - shoring up the Forest of Dean side's defence against Bromsgrove Rovers - barely four years after he played for Aston Villa at San Siro, Milan against Internazionale in the Uefa Cup. They return to Barnet, where they led 3-0 a year ago before drawing 4-4 and winning the replay. Brighton, agonisingly close to winning the "and Smith must score" final of 1983, must improve on the form that finds them 23rd in the Second Division to avoid embarrassment by Canvey Island's hotch-potch of veterans tomorrow.Woking, with Clive Walker still tormenting defenders, are attempting to reach the second round for the seventh season running. The midfielder once coveted by Liverpool is now rediscovering his promise, and will be watched by League scouts.Of the five former Cup holders involved, Cardiff look most at risk. The 1927 winners visit Northamptonshire and the Beazer Homes League leaders, Rushden & Diamonds, whose squad includes one Julian Capone. Steve Walters, a class-mate of Trevor Sinclair, Ian Walker and Andy Cole at the FA National School, had his career with Crewe wrecked by illness.

Boothe, who works for the BBC, will have the stalwart support of Trevor Senior, 34 this month but no mean marksman himself during his League career.At the Drill Field, the 120-year-old venue which Northwich Victoria claim as the oldest on the planet, another player with something to prove awaits Scunthorpe. Now under the managership of Graham Turner, who suffered one of the great Cup indignities when his Wolves team were thrashed by Chorley, they play host to Stevenage Borough. The GM Vauxhall Conference club, undefeated in 12 and playing against League opposition for the first time, ought to be capable of forcing a replay.Farnborough go to Brentford hoping that Chris Boothe, who outscores even Les Ferdinand with 19 goals this season, can do the time-honoured business of upsetting the club who rejected him after a trial. There they lost to Royal Engineers, who went on to become beaten finalists.Last November, Hitchin updated their Cup achievements by dispatching Hereford after a replay. However, they face Rovers without their defensive linchpin, the former Luton player Tim Allpress, who flew out to join the Enterprise club of Hong Kong this week, and might be glad of a draw.Hereford, Southern League giant-killers of a quarter-century ago, may again find the boot on the other foot. In the first round - 124 years ago today - they drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace (not the present club), both teams going forward to the next stage due to others withdrawing. Seven non-League clubs are certain to be involved in the second round but, as ever, attention will focus on those games where part-timers are striving to knock out Endsleigh League opposition, with Hitchin Town especially keen to draw inspiration from history as they receive Bristol Rovers at Top Field. Currently 16th in the Icis League Premier Division, Hitchin are the only club still playing in the Cup who took part in the inaugural competition.

They include England's top scorer, the world's oldest ground and even an overseas tie - well, you try walking to Newport, Isle of Wight. Despite sprawling over six days like some timeless Test match, the melting pot that is the FA Cup's first round proper offers a reassuringly familiar blend of ingredients this weekend. "Mathematically, yes, Switzerland have qualified," a Uefa spokesman said yesterday "But it is a complicated calculation.". After two silent matches he will hoping for a more eloquent display on Wednesday.n Switzerland have qualified for the European Championship finals, although it took Uefa, European football's governing body, almost a month to work out that a 3-0 win over Hungary in October would bring the Swiss to England next year. There is a lot I want to say but I have been told not to."For the moment then, his talking must be done on the pitch. In the meantime, he said: "At these times it is better for me to be working with the players My time will come. Terry Venables has given Paul Gascoigne permission to play for Rangers this weekend while Jamie Redknapp and Robert Lee are expected to appear in Alvin Martin's testimonial match.Venables, meanwhile, was in combative mood when his latest court case was mentioned.