The Premier League has given the go-ahead for teams to name seven substitutes from the beginning of the 2008-09 season.
The current rule allows for five nominated substitutes and has remained unchanged for 12 years. But the increase will bring the Premier League into line with other major European leagues, Uefa and international tournaments.
Tottenham Hotspur are one of the Premier League clubs in agreement with the idea. Chairman Daniel Levy welcomed the move, as well as claiming some of the credit for the change: "We at Tottenham Hotspur have promoted and lobbied for this rule change for some time and we are absolutely delighted our proposal was supported by member clubs."
Levy outlined why he thought the change was important. "In order to both maintain that label and improve our competitive edge, it is important to give our managers and coaches greater choice on the substitutes bench, enabling them to be more creative tactically. That was the objective behind us bringing this proposal to the table. Additionally, it should also mean that younger players from the academy can be given an opportunity to break into the first team."
