ITV digital agreed to pay £178.5million for exclusive screening rights to the Nationwide League, outbidding British Sky Broadcasting.
However with reports that ITV Digital could be put into administration as early as this week the troubled company, owned jointly by Granada and Carlton, they want to pay a reduced fee of just £25million.
Many clubs have budgeted for this income over the next three years, and a number of chairmen have already stated they will have to cut back if ITV Digital regade on the deal.
Keith Harris however has claimed that upto 40 clubs could go under.
“Someone said 30 clubs could go and someone else said 50, so lets take a figure in the middle,” he warned.
“If that happens it would be a tragedy.
“We believe we have the strongest possible case for legal action and have also been urging the government to get behind us.