Soccer: Clubs slam ailing TV company

Hull chairman Adam Pearson believes the move into administration of the troubled ITV Digital network could have catastrophic consequences for a large number of Nationwide League clubs.

Many cash-strapped clubs have already budgeted for the second portion of the cash they were due to receive under the terms of a contract agreed in June 2000.

Pearson said he would be ‘‘very surprised’’ if no football clubs were wound up as the result of the money not being forthcoming.

‘‘This is the first crisis which has hit football to financially threaten the future of a number of clubs,’’ he said.

Hull would be one of the least affected of Nationwide League clubs as the ITV Digital money accounts for just five per cent of the club’s annual revenue.

Nevertheless, even that five per cent is enough to pay the contracts of four players, indicating the scale of the crisis for those clubs who are much more heavily reliant on the windfall.

Pearson added: ‘‘We may be the least affected but, when you put it together with the doubts over the Internet deal, it makes it a big deal.

‘‘The clubs which are really affected are either those really small clubs with no gates, or the smaller clubs struggling at the bottom of the First Division.’’

Nottingham Forest, who are deep in debt, admit they are very worried about the situation.

Finance director John Pelling said: ‘‘We are concerned about developments and I am sure we share that concern with the other 71 member clubs of the Football League.

‘‘All we can do is monitor developments and await further information as it is released by the Football League.

‘‘We can only still hope for a successful outcome as our relationship with ITV Digital is very significant to the club as a business.’’

Several other clubs also joined in the condemnation of ITV Digital, who still owe £178.5m (€291m) of the £315m (€514m) deal agreed in July 2000.

The Football League, who last week refused an offer of £50m (€81.5m) from the broadcaster for the remainder of the contract, have refused to move in their demands for full payment.

It is feared up to 30 clubs could go to the wall and League chairman Keith Harris said: ‘‘The actions of Carlton and Granada threaten the survival of professional football in this country, which would have a devastating effect on many local communities. They will not succeed.’’

Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor also hit out at the ailing TV company and admitted he was concerned for the future of some clubs.

He said: ‘‘There are a lot of disenchanted football supporters out there.

‘‘I do not think supporters or anyone in football will forget what they have done.

‘‘You would want some solidarity from the Premier League and the Football Association but we are talking about around £178million being due. That sort of money is massive, and the Premier League is not going to be as gratuitous as that.

‘‘It is going to mean cost-cutting and redundancies at a lower scale.’’