JUST days after averting one strike, football could be rocked to its foundations by news of a second - possibly more damaging - stand off.

The newly-formed Professional Mascots Association is now demanding their share of the television money, while the militant wing of the organisation - the National Union of Mascots - has hit out over news of a code of conduct.

The PMA have risen up and issued a list of demands that are to be met if the action is to be avoided.

The mascots - including York City's very own Yorkie - have claimed they are poorly paid are seeking compensation for injured paws and tails and for help to be retrained after football.

The NUM have added their weight to the strike after the Football League announced news they could soon draw up a mascot's Code of Conduct.

The NUM have five separate demands to be part of any guidelines. These include a liaisons officer at every club, adequate changing facilities, a minder, free entry for home and visiting mascots and basic expenses.

Although no date has yet been set for any possible strike, the PMA and NUM have issued guidelines to members of what action will be taken.

These include no more entertaining families and children, no more autographs, no more encouraging fans to sing and the most drastic of all, no more crazy goal celebrations.

Yorkie, who is leading the way for the NUM, spoke exclusively to the Evening Press about the issue shaking football to its mane roots.

"The Professional Football Association may have averted their strike action, but there is a strong possibility mascots will go on a national strike," he revealed.

"We want our share of the television money as mascots are poorly paid. We are also losing a lot of members with injured paws and tails, and need to pay vet bills, as well as the retraining of mascots for a life outside football.

"We feel we have been let down by the Football League and the Football Association - in fact we've been goosed!"

Yorkie confirmed the lower league mascots have received the backing of their multi-millionaire colleagues in the Premiership, such as Freddie the Red at Manchester United, as they look to stand their ground.

Yorkie, who personally feels people forget the little extras mascots do such as charity events and school visits, added a key source of concern is the introduction of guidelines - The Code of Conduct - aimed to curb behaviour.

"We are showing our opposition to the Code," added Yorkie.

"No-one has actually said anything to us directly, they have just used the media to get their points across.

"We would like our opportunity to comment on any direction of the Code to make sure it doesn't stamp out the cheeky antics and the spontaneous squabbling between the mascots.

"If this happens it would be the end of an era for mascots and football will be poorer for it."

However, a spokesman for the Football League said the Code would not be introduced to cut out the mascots' fun, but to stop them getting out of control.

He added: "The Code of Conduct is only something we are looking at introducing for next season. It will not be laws, more guidelines on how mascots should act.

"We will be consulting the mascots before we issuing anything.

"We'll invite them around the table to have their say, whether or not it is in a field we don't know yet, but we will probably get our Football League mascot to chair it!"

Updated: 10:39 Saturday, December 01, 2001