Oval returns thanks after football league gets out of debt (6)
I believe the answer is:
afloat
'out of debt' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'oval returns thanks after football league' is the wordplay.
'oval' becomes 'O'.
'returns' shows that the letters should be reversed in order.
'thanks' becomes 'ta' (UK informal version of 'thank you').
'after' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'football league' becomes 'afl' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'ta' back-to-front is 'at'.
'o'+'at'='oat'
'oat' after 'afl' is 'AFLOAT'.
'gets' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for afloat that I've seen before include "On board at sea, on ship" , "Buoyed" , "On board a ship; out of difficulty" , "Still solvent" , "With one's head above water" .)