Keep calm over Setanta funding, says Ladak
Kettering Town chairman Imraan Ladak insists he will be taking the "sensible approach" when it comes to sponsorship funds from television company Setanta.
The broadcaster, which shows live coverage of the Blue Square Premier, has had well-documented problems in recent weeks and meetings were being held yesterday after their failure to pay 3m to the Scottish Premier League.
Setanta are also due to pay around 35m to the Premier League in England in the next week and it is thought they would be forced to call in administrators unless backers agree to supply more cash.
But clubs in the Blue Square divisions are also sweating on the eventual outcome with Premier clubs, including the Poppies and Rushden & Diamonds, due to receive 85,000 in sponsorship.
And while Ladak believes a deal will be reached between the broadcaster and all the relevant parties, he admitted he won't be planning with the sponsorship money in mind.
"From what I understand, Setanta will be proposing a deferral of the payment to the English Premier League. But that is only what I have heard," Ladak said.
"If the Premier League don't accept that then they are unlikely to get anything so that may be the course of action they take.
"It is a worry for us and the other clubs in our division because it is an amount of money that is a big help in these times.
"But at the moment we are budgeting with 50 per cent of the amount due from Setanta and I think that is the sensible way to go.
"If it does all go wrong then that is a shortfall that can be covered by our shareholders and that's what we will do if the worst comes to the worst.
"Like everyone else, we will just have to wait and see what happens."
The Poppies chairman had his own battle with Setanta last season as he led the fight to get his team's FA Cup fourth-round home tie with Premier League side Fulham on television after it wasn't chosen as one of the live matches.
Setanta eventually bowed down to public pressure and showed delayed coverage of the match in full on the same night as the game.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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