CLARETS chairman Barry Kilby is determined to fight plans to speed up the creation of a "Phoenix League".

He believes certain clubs are using the fear factor to force others to act in haste by pushing for a mass notice to quit the Football League by first division clubs. He argues that such a move could render the rest of this season virtually meaningless.

He warned today: "We could have the nightmare scenario where we win the first division and still find ourselves playing in the second tier, not in the Premier League.

"The whole integrity of competition has been put in jeopardy. How do we carry on from here? There should be no changes in the middle of a season.

"It would make an absolute nonsense of promotion, relegation and the play-offs.

"If the Premier League is cut to 18 does that means two come down and none go up? There is still talk of Rangers and Celtic coming into the new league so if it is still 24 more teams will go down, even more if the size of the league is reduced.

"How would the likes of Stoke City and Bristol City, who are trying to come up, feel about it?"

Kilby's concerns come following the meeting of first division chairmen earlier this week where the proposal for a mass resignation from the Football League was put forward.

A week today there will be another meeting to discuss the issue and Kilby will be spending much of his Christmas in talks with his counterparts across the country.

"There is plenty going on at the moment," he admitted. "The clubs are being urged to put a notice of resignation from the League, which has to be done by January 31.

"That would be a precursor to resigning from the League on March 31. We are being told that the reason is to maintain the momentum for the formation of the Phoenix League.

"The fear factor is being used, clubs don't want to be left behind. We at Burnley Football Club don't agree with what is being proposed but, like others, we can't afford to be left behind."

"I cannot be like King Canute, trying to hold back the waves. I can't be left standing alone but I am determined to fight our corner very hard over the next few days.

These plans are not good for the game."

The whole issue of the Phoenix League came under the spotlight when details of talks of a breakaway by the so-called gang of six clubs, Bradford City, Coventry City, Wolves, Manchester City, Birmingham and Sheffield Wednesday, were leaked to the press.

Following that a meeting of Football League chairmen appeared to have calmed things down and brought everything out in the open.

But a 19-1 vote by Premier League chairman against any change to the current format prompted Monday's meeting and the increased impetus from the driving forces behind restructuring.

"Big issues are involved and I am talking to other clubs to try and persuade them not to be stampeded into anything," said Kilby, who has called a board meeting at Turf Moor for Saturday.

"I know that just giving notice of quitting does not mean you have to but what happens on March 31 if clubs do quit. The season is almost over by then.

"I still believe all of this is best left until the end of the current television deal in a couple of years time when it can be done properly, not in a rush."

Having reached the threshold of the top flight after years of struggling in the lower reaches of the league, it is little wonder that Kilby is ready to battle for the right of a club to be promoted next spring.

What is clear is this debate is far from over.