From here to uncertainty for crisis clubs

Nationwide kick-off: Chairmen, managers and players brace for a season of fear, dreading the first casualties

In six days' time the reveille will sound and the new recruits to the First Division's managerial expeditionary forces will assemble on the parade ground. They comprise a diverse bunch, some having enjoyed illustrious careers in their former lives – notably Preston North End's former Scotland manager Craig Brown and Coventry City's Scottish international Gary McAllister – some, like Brighton's Martin Hinshelwood and on-the-move Wimbledon's Stuart Murdoch, cloaked in near anonymity.

But what they all have in common is employment in a Nationwide League riven with uncertainty. Survival will be the first priority. But that word will acquire a new connotation this season. For some, it will not be so much a matter of eluding the deadly tentacles of relegation as avoiding the suffocating death by liquidation as they are sucked under by sheer weight of debt. It is only because of the forbearance of their creditors that Bradford City, who only two years ago were a Premier League club, did not suffer such a fate last week. Coventry City and Leicester are others whose financial future is anything but secure.

The collapse of ITV Digital may not, as a single cause, be responsible for placing such clubs in jeopardy, but, particularly for First Division clubs relegated from the Premiership, it has propelled them into a perilous position. What began with Ulrika Jonsson launching the new digital broadcasting enterprise in a much-remarked-upon strapless dress has ended with many players without a club's shirt to put on their backs.

Thursday's High Court decision against the Football League's claim that they should be paid £131.9m; part of the £178.5m they say they were owed by ITV Digital's parent companies Carlton and Granada, was not unexpected in view of the League's failure to have parental guarantees written into the contract. But unless the League launch – and win – an appeal, there exists the possibility that one club of the 72 could be dragged under. When one goes, it is not inconceivable that others may follow.

Bradford's future may be assured for the moment, following their creditors' approval of a rescue package and the agreement by the departing Benito Carbone to accept a reported £1m pay-off, but the Bantams – like many others – cannot contemplate anything but a season of uncertainty. What none of the clubs needed, having already felt the effect of Bosman, were further restrictions on their transfer activities. Like clubs in the top flight, they were threatened with new regulations under which they would only have been able to sell after 31 August during the January transfer "window''.

The aim has been to create consistency across Europe. While the Premier League have reluctantly agreed to this shopping "window'', which gives new meaning to the expression January sales, the League have voiced their objections to Fifa. Encouragingly, there are strong indications that the game's administrative rulers may be prepared to accept "some flexibility'' on the issue.

The League's concern was not merely that clubs would have been prevented from cashing in on an asset when times are hard, but that loans would also have been precluded outside the "window''. The result, if no exclusion deal is agreed, may be to encourage clubs to carry two or three extra players in their squad in case of injury, with the inevitable increase in costs.

Of course, from the spectating point of view, the irony is that when TV regards the League with less than feverish anticipation (Sky were prepared to pay only £25m for the privilege of taking over the ITV Digital deal), it actually promises to be the most compelling of seasons purely because of the financial constraints which have cast doubts over the prospects of the more illustrious clubs.

Even last season, we witnessed an egality about the First Division competition with the exception of those runaway moneybags champions Manchester City. Who would have predicted that those unlikely Throstles would have twittered a new dawn chorus as they gained automatic promotion at the expense of Wolves – just when Sir Jack Hayward, the sugar daddy of them all, finally appeared to have profited from his long-term and endlessly frustrating involvement at Molineux? Neither were Millwall and Norwich most judges' idea of pre-season contenders to reach the play-offs.

In contrast, Barnsley, who only four years ago were delighting the romantics with their achievement in attaining membership of the Premier League, are now in the Second Division. Maybe that's something to do with the Yorkshire air. Last season, another former Premiership club, Sheffield Wednesday, finished only a point above relegated Barnsley, while Bradford City were a mere six points above the drop, having seen their attempts to regain their place among the élite ended in near terminal financial damage.

One club unlikely to face a similar curtailment to their ambitions are Wolves. Dave Jones's acquisition of Manchester United full-back Denis Irwin is an astute signing as he prepares his men for yet another attempt to gain Premiership status, yet you have to ask how many times can the men of Molineux go to the well and discover it dry before they lose their desire? There will be several clubs blessed with the playing resources to keep up with the Joneses. Thus far, of the relegated clubs, Derby have managed to retain their personnel, though one suspects that the admirable Malcolm Christie will continue to be a source of transfer speculation. For a relegated team, County had a touch of class about them last season, and John Gregory is the kind of manager to galvanise them successfully.

Ipswich have lost only defender Titus Bramble and goalkeeper Matteo Sereni of their first-team squad and should benefit from chairman David Sheepshanks' excellent administration and determination to maintain continuity at Portman Road. George Burley's team are understandably the bookies' favourites to regain a Premiership place at the first attempt.

Leicester City, though, look likely to continue suffering from the post-O'Neill Syndrome at their new ground, the Walkers Stadium – unless Micky Adams swiftly displays the acumen for the job that he first demonstrated at Fulham and more recently at Brighton. The loss of Gary Rowett, Robbie Savage and Matt Elliott will hardly help his cause.

Come Saturday, though, a return to feast on the ambrosia of the Premiership will be Adams' priority, as it will be for many of his peers. One suspects that success for him and others will be judged not just in final position but an ability to keep their clubs out of a financial wilderness.