WHEN Nationwide renewed their sponsorship deal with the Football Association they were extending a six-year relationship with football. The building society paid £30m in 2002 for a four-year deal to sponsor the Football League and the England team.

The Gills will receive £586,625 as part of the television and sponsorship deal, though they will also be eligible to apply for a grant of £333,000. The grant will come from a £20m fund set up by the FA and the Premier League to help cover the losses clubs suffered when ITV digital went under.

The Gills will also receive £60,000 every time they are featured live as the home club on Sky TV and £10,000 for when they are the away side - such as when they travel to Paul Merson's Walsall on September 29.

The pickings for actually winning the division aren't quite so rich, though, with £50,000 on offer. The side that finishes second will get £25,000 and, unlike the Premier League, there is no further prize money for other clubs.

DIXIE Dean holds the record for the most goals in one season. The Everton striker netted 60 times in just 39 Division 1 games during the 1927-28 season.

NEAL McBain is the oldest man to play in a Football League match after making an appearance for New Brighton against Hartlepool United in a Division 3 North match in March 1947. McBain, who was New Brighton’s manager and had to play in an emergency, was 52 years and four months.

LIVERPOOL went unbeaten at home for 85 consecutive Division 1 games between January 1978 and January 1981. The League record was broken when Leicester won 2-1 at Anfield.

CREWEboss Dario Grady is the longest serving manager in all four divisions after taking charge at Gresty Road on June 1, 1983.

PETER Shilton holds the record for most senior appearances (1,390) in this country.

ALAN Shearer was the youngest player in Football League history to score a hat-trick. At the age of 17 years and 240 days, Shearer bagged three for Southampton on debut when they beat Arsenal in April 1988.

COVENTRY City are the only team in England to play in every division - Premiership, Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, Division 3 (North), Division 3 (South) and Division 4.