Players' union boss Gordon Taylor is fearful for the future of the professional game in its present structure.

PFA finances have been stretched to breaking point as a growing number of Nationwide League clubs turned to the players' union in an effort to solve their cash problems.

Taylor has already warned there may be no more money available for the type of short-term loans which have aided the likes of Bradford and Derby in recent times.

And, with no sign of the redistribution of cash he feels is badly required, Taylor can see problems in the months ahead.

"It is going to be difficult to keep things going in their present form," he said.

"I can see a situation where there is a greater link-up between clubs in the lower divisions and those in the Premier League in the form of nurseries.

"It is not something I want to see happen and it could be resolved fairly easily if there was a more realistic distribution of money between the top and bottom.

"But that is not going to happen. We have gone down a slippery slope now and the top clubs are going to keep the majority of the money."

Amid the catastrophic collapse of ITV Digital, more than 500 professionals have found themselves out of work over the past 12 months.

The vast majority of clubs are being forced into a major financial overhaul. But while sympathetic to their plight, Taylor feels the game is already subjecting itself to some much-needed realism.

"What happened with ITV Digital has brought a cold wind of reality to the game," he said.

"Hopefully in the New Year there will be a lot more financial sense and clubs will not carry on spending money they haven't got.

"So many players have lost their jobs, had their wages deferred or are still waiting to be paid.

"A number of clubs have knocked on the PFA's door but we are getting to the stage where most of the money in our development fund has been loaned out.

"We want to keep helping but we need help from the governing bodies as well. Too many clubs are going into administration in an effort to solve their problems, which is not doing football's name any good at all.

"We have to get back to a situation where contracts are honoured."

Guardian Unlimited ' Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001

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