GORDON TAYLOR, the chief executive of the English Professional Footballers' Association, yesterday attacked the Premier League for apparently backing the lower divisions in their row with the PFA over a share of increased television money. Next month, players in the Nationwide League will refuse to perform in televised games unless the dispute is settled.

Under its new deal with Sky, clubs in the First, Second and Third divisions will receive £25 million this season. The PFA wants the 10 per cent (£2.5 million) it would have been paid had the clubs not voted recently to end the agreement.

More trouble with the Premier League could lie ahead. At the moment Taylor's association receives 10 per cent of the first £10 million the Premiership clubs get from Sky and the BBC, and five per cent of the rest. This agreement was reached only after the players had threatened to strike in 1992.

If the percentages are maintained when the new £670 million TV deal comes into force next season, the PFA will be in for a windfall of pounds £35 million over four years.

Taylor, however, foresees difficulties. "We're probably going to have trouble with the Premier League," he said. "I'm led to believe that Rick Parry (the Premiership's chief executive) was encouraging the Football League to take the stance they have. I find that astonishing."

With pay per view imminent, Taylor warned that television could become a runaway horse. "It's imperative that the game's ad ministrators learn to control the animal," he added, "but at the moment I'm not sure we've got a professional jockey."