S-League: Bottom two clubs to be fined next season

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http://www.todayonline.com/Sports/EDC121017-0000061/Last-in-the-S-League?-Please-pay-S$50,000

The 17-year-old Great Eastern-Yeo's S-League is set to give its poorly performing teams something to fight to avoid - a five-figure penalty.

S-League Chief Executive Lim Chin told TODAY: "We hope these - stiff penalties, not just a slap on the wrist - will inspire clubs to do well."

Without the spectre of relegation over their heads in the past, some S-League sides have faced criticism for a lack of ambition and doing the bare minimum required of a football club. But with several changes - and more money - mooted for S-League 2013, Mr Lim is hoping for a drastic change.

"We're adopting a carrot-and-stick approach to the league next year, making it more lucrative for top teams looking to win, and installing a disincentive for the smaller clubs to finish in the bottom two spots in the table," he said.

While the S-League prize money next year will go up to S$250,000 from S$150,000 this year, with the top 11 clubs receiving a diminishing fraction of the top prize based on their league standings, the team that finishes last in the 13-team league next season will face a S$50,000 penalty, while the 12th-placed side will be S$30,000 poorer.

However a football observer, who declined to be named, said: "This might penalise small teams even further, increasing the gap between the rich and poor teams. Don't forget, there have been clubs in the past that have been forced out of the league because of financial problems."