ITV offer cash plus TV star deal

The restructured deal would see well known TV faces - among them mawkish family entertainer Michael Barrymore, veteran news anchorman Trevor McDonald and daytime talk queen Trisha - "transferred" to the League clubs in lieu of cash payments under the broadcast contract.

Outspoken Bradford City chairman Geoffrey Richmond was optimistic that agreement could be reached:

"Obviously we welcome the news that ITV is willing to make its assets available in order to honour its contractual obligations. What club would not be thrilled to have an entertainer of Barrymore's stature on their playing staff? I like it when he does the funny walk."

Under the proposals, TV personalities - thought also to include zany helium-voiced comic Joe Pasquale - would be loaned, leased or even donated outright to League clubs, as the cash-strapped broadcasted looks to substitute "televisual magic" for the promised millions.

Leicester City Director of Football Dave Bassett welcomed the move, and revealed that the Foxes had already identified much-loved late night newsman McDonald as their favoured TV target.

"With Trevor in the dressing room my players would never take the field feeling anything less than completely up-to-date with all the latest news from around the world," Bassett said.

An ITV Digital spokesman was optimistic that a celebrity-led deal could be brokered within the next week, and claimed that the compromise might represent a turning point in the fortunes of the game.

"This proves that football and television can have a mutually beneficial relationship. With the likes of John Leslie, the cast of The Bill and Carol Smillie moving into the Football League, the industry will be free to concentrate on making quality programs in other areas. Like gardening or cooking, and not just football."

Even though we are now out of the the Football League, the ITV Digital monkey has come to show his support to the Shaymen.