YORK City chairman John Batchelor was remaining defiant today after ITV Digital applied to be put into administration as the row over television cash owed to Nationwide League clubs reached crisis point.

ITV Digital had wanted clubs to accept a cash cut of almost £130million over the next two years - changing the terms of a contract agreed in June 2000.

The channel's owners, Granada and Carlton Communications, had warned they would close the digital channel unless they could cut costs.

But Batchelor has little sympathy for the channel or its owners and believes the application to the High Court to be put into administration is little more than bullying tactics.

"We should chase Granada and Carlton through the courts," he told the Evening Press.

"I have not seen the contracts, but I am fairly sure ITV Digital have got these great backers which would have given the Football League the confidence to go through with ITV Digital.

"Even if they haven't got a contractual obligation then they certainly have a moral one to honour those contracts."

Batchelor, who believes the crisis will be felt more by clubs in the First Division, who get a greater slice of the TV monies, than the Third added: "I think this latest development by ITV Digital to look to go into administration is maybe a bargaining ploy to try and force the Football League to the table to re-negotiate."

The Football League claim more than one third of the 72 member clubs will go bankrupt if they do not get the money they have budgeted for which is based on the two £89.25million payments due in August and next year.

Lawyers working for the League believe they would have won a court case, as the contract - signed when ITV Digital was known as ONdigital - said: "ONdigital and its shareholders will guarantee all funding to the Football League outlined in this document."

Bradford chairman and former Scarborough supremo Geoffrey Richmond believed the current television crisis could yet turn to football's long-term advantage.

Richmond, whose club receive 25 per cent of their revenue from TV money, believed clubs would go to the wall.

But he added: "We had become over-reliant on television money, and it has fuelled huge increases in players' wages.

"Once we get out of this immediate crisis I think football will be on much safer ground. We will be paying players more sensible and sustainable wages."

YORK City reserves secured a plucky point in their Avon Insurance League Division One clash at Lincoln City. The game seemed to be petering out to a 0-0 draw when the Imps' Peter Gain scored what looked a certain winner in the 90th minute. However, City, featuring more trainees than seniors, hit back almost instantly as Scott Emmerson grabbed an injury-time equaliser.

Updated: 11:58 Thursday, March 28, 2002