SHAKERS chairman Terry Robinson has fired a stark warning to football's top brass: "Introduce a second Premiership division and we'll die".

Robinson attended a meeting of Football League chairman yesterday with the proposed 'Premiership Two' division high on the agenda.

Robinson believes that if the new league gets the green light, dozens of football clubs, including Bury, would be in grave danger of going to the wall.

It is hard enough at the moment for the club to keep its head above water, but if a two-tier Premiership was introduced it would make things almost impossible.

For a start, a huge slice of TV money earmarked for the entire Nationwide League would instead go to the new league. That would leave Bury, and many other teams, staring into the financial abyss.

Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry and Southampton have already publicly announced their support for the scheme. Local rivals Bolton Wanderers too have backed it -- so long as the smaller clubs are not cast adrift.

But Robinson says it would spell disaster for football as we know it. He said: "After our expenditure on the stadium, after the Bosman ruling and after the the European Court's ruling on transfers, this could be the final nail in the coffin.

"They may be better just coming out and saying they only want 32 professional clubs rather than inflicting this slow strangulation on us. You have to question whether they want us to continue."

It seems only a matter of time before there is a radical shake up of the league structure.

A second Premiership, separate from the Nationwide League, is the most likely outcome.

However, Robinson fears that would leave the remaining teams in limbo, unable to attract TV, leading to a massive drop in income.

"It is something other people want to take forward, but as far as clubs like us are concerned if it does happen we would find it very difficult to carry on," said Robinson.

"I think it's the end of the professional game as we know it if it goes ahead. I think financially the central monies wil be diminished.

"The Premier League's Richard Scudamore came out and supported it which didn't help. If that's the case there's nothing we can do. If the Premier League want the rest of the clubs to die then just tell us now and we will shut the door."

At yesterday's meeting Robinson was set to discuss the issue with fellow Football league chairman. They will hope to prevent the formation of the league but where money is involved - particularly TV money - it is very difficult to stop.

Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside told the Bury Times he supported the proposals - but only if teams like Bury are protected.

He said: "Something needs doing but only if the smaller clubs are looked after as well. The whole of football needs re-jigging in terms of its financing."