Soccer: Football strike threat over

The dispute between footballing authorities and players over television cash has been resolved after decisive talks.

FA chief executive Adam Crozier said: "An amicable agreement has been reached."

PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor emerged and said: "We have secured what I believe is the long-term future of the PFA - we have compromised and there is a sum of money there that we appreciate very much and it will certainly help to improve the service we provide".

He continued: "I am hopeful there is a new spirit now, a new respect - we are in the business of stability, of enhancing the game and trying create as many clubs as possible.

I really look forward to the future and to making sure that our agreement will generate a period of stability and remove the uncertainty."

FA Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore reiterated Taylor's comments and said that an agreement of £52.5m over three years had been reached.

Today's talks involved Taylor, PFA officials and legal advisers, and the three chief executives of the football bodies, Richard Scudamore (Premier League), Adam Crozier (Football Association) and David Burns (Football League).

It means the strike by players threatened for December 1 has been averted, as well as court action by the leagues against the union.