Threat to Forfar TV cash windfall a concern for Campbell

Published on Tuesday 10 February 2009 22:00

FORFAR Athletic manager Dick Campbell fears the club could yet lose out on the Sky bonanza from their Homecoming Scottish Cup clash with Rangers.

The Loons were relieved to discover last night the fifth round tie will still be broadcast by the satellite television giants when it is played tomorrow week.

That will net the Irn-Bru Third Division club an 82,500 windfall, which could wipe out their debts. The tie was controversially postponed on Sunday due to a frozen pitch and Forfar were worried Sky might decide not to show the rearranged fixture.

Despite having those fears allayed, the club are now desperate to ensure the game goes ahead as there are no guarantees it will be televised if it is postponed again.

Campbell said: "My big worry is if it doesn't go ahead next Wednesday.

"At the end of the day, we've got to make sure we do all we can to make sure we get that game on."

Sky today would not reveal their plans were the tie to be hit by another call-off, saying they would "cross that bridge when we come to it".

The Scottish Football Association confirmed the next scheduled date for the match would be a week on Monday, when there would appear to be scope for Sky to show the tie.

But were it to be postponed for a third time, it would be played two days later on Wednesday, 25 February.

That would clash with Sky's coverage of the Champions League and it is unlikely they would choose to squeeze a Scottish Cup game into the schedule.

As well as worrying about weather scuppering the tie, Forfar are also fretting over upgrading their floodlights for the game, which is necessary for the televising of a night match.

"There has to be some kind of guarantee that the floodlights are up to some kind of official standard," added Campbell.

"So we'll have some outlay on that to bring the light up to a standard required by television at night-time."