CLARETS chairman Barry Kilby knows that the Football League clubs may face a long battle to get any of the television money owed to them.

But he believes there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

"We know it could be a long legal battle but I have been in meetings where it has been suggested that proceedings can be speeded up if they are in the public interest," he explained.

"I think there is no doubt that sorting out the financial situation for 72 clubs up and down the country falls into that category and I am sure that is one avenue that the League can go down."

One media expert has claimed that the Nationwide League clubs have only themselves to blame for the impending cash crisis after failing to accept a reduced settlement from the troubled broadcaster.

The Football League has always insisted it will pursue the full £178.5million they are owed from the remaining two years of their three-year contract.

However, media lawyer Mark Stephens said the League should have struck a deal with ITV Digital owners Carlton and Granada when they had the chance.

"They waged a vicious PR battle. The much-vaunted legal action hasn't materialised - and nor will it - and the £75million it was offered is no longer on the table," he said.

Kilby was due to attend a meeting of club chairmen at Birmingham City's St Andrew's ground tomorrow but that has been cancelled.

"The plan is now to meet after the play-off final but we will be monitoring the situation until then," he said.

The latest development was yesterday's news that former Turf Moor season ticket holder John Batchelor, the new chairman of third division York City, is hoping to buy ITV Digital and has already had discussions with the administrators.

He admits that he can't finance it himself but says he can bring in people that can.

Batchelor, apart from being York chairman, is in the motor sport business and it is from these two areas that he expects the money to come.

"It is my intention to head up a bid for ITV Digital backed by a consortium of people from motorsport and football," he explained. "I need to act very quickly after talks with the administrators who said the company would otherwise be broken up very quickly.

"There is no reason why we can't make this work and it will be heavily funded from the motorsport side. I don't have the money required, but I do have the ability to bring people together who do."