"The Uruguayan championship 2007-08 started on August 18 2007," Pablo Miguez wrote last week, "and finished last Wednesday with Defensor Sporting crowned champions. Now, a mini-league with the top six teams will be played to see which teams will play the international competitions. It will end on July 20. That means the season will be 11 months and two days long. Which makes me wonder, has there ever been a longer season?"
Firstly, Ian Williams writes to explain the remarkable 1997-98 season in South Africa. "Back in 1997-98, the South African League season kicked off on August 1, running through until May, with the cup final taking place on May 17. Unfortunately, the rules were such that, when the final finished in a draw, even after extra-time, a replay was the only way by which the contest could be resolved. However, due to preparations for the 1998 World Cup, a national training camp was scheduled for May 19. As the two finalists, Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, had players with the national team, the replay could only take place on July 26."
But, Jostein Nygard can beat that. The Norwegian FA found itself in a mess when it tried to bring in a revised league system. "Before the Norwegian FA introduced a nationwide first division playing from spring to autumn in 1963, they had to finish off the old two-group 'Main League' which ran from summer to summer," says Jostein. "What they did in the last season of the 'Main League' was to combine the two eight team groups into one 16 team league, starting on July 30 1961, and ending on 21 October 1962. This works out at 14 months, 21 days."
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