Latics face cut in TV money

ATHLETIC will have to make do with around £200,000 less per season from 2012-13, as a result of a new television deal with Sky.

The broadcasting giant has agreed a fresh three-year tie up with the Football League worth

£195million — a £69million drop on the current arrangement.

Athletic are waiting to hear details from the Football League of the precise financial impact, but the above figure is around the mark which League One clubs are expected to miss out on.

There are believed to have been no competing offers from terrestrial broadcasters and the collapse of Setanta left Sky in a strong bargaining position.

No deal for a free-to-air highlights package, expected to realise a seven-figure sum, has yet been agreed.

“Every club will be affected by this, from the Championship down,” said Athletic chief executive Alan Hardy.

Football League chairman Greg Clarke was positive, saying: “I am confident that our clubs will take heart from seeing such a significant ongoing investment in their competitions, despite a reduced level of broadcasting income, as it provides financial certainty in uncertain times.”




FOUR successive shoot-out saves from 18-year-old goalkeeper Dale Connor helped Athletic make it into the final of the Lancashire FA Youth Cup.



Tony Philliskirk’s side, who only two days earlier had been downed by Darlington in the northern final of the Football League Youth Alliance Cup, finished the 90 minutes level at 1-1 with Tranmere.

Substitute Connor Hughes scored Athletic’s equaliser to send the game into a penalty competition, which Athletic won 2-1.

Preston await in the final. The game will be at home, but there is no date fixed as yet.