CLARETS chairman Barry Kilby is optimistic that a solution will be found to the problem of the Nationwide League's television deal with ITV Digital.

And he has warned: "We are going to come out fighting on all fronts, the moral arguments and the legal ones."

Kilby was at yesterday's meeting in London for all the Nationwide Football League chairmen and he confirmed: "I have seen the legal argument and we have got a very strong one, it is not perfect but it is strong.

"We are going to go after both Carlton and Granada because they can't just divorce themselves from responsibility for this.

"The moral arguments are unanswerable and there is no way we will allow them to wheedle out of their obligations.

"The important thing is that we are absolutely united and determined to get what we are entitled to."

Reports have suggested that as many as 900 players could be on the scrap heap if the money owed is not forthcoming and it is an anxious time for players who are out of contract in the summer and also youngsters who are hoping to be rewarded with a full time contract.

But Kilby said: "I don't want to press any panic buttons because I am confident that there will be good news sooner rather than later.

"We have eight players out of contract in the summer but I am reasonably confident that we will get a decent slice of the money, if not quite all.

"The company has lost £1billion and made a catalogue of mistakes that they are trying to dump on football. They are just trying to cover up their poor business management.

"I can remember them coming to a meeting we had at Notts County back in November when they were telling us they were right behind us and not to worry. But at that time they must have been planning this situation.