Key members on the league's management committee discussed the Old Firm's prospective admission during five hours of talks at the body's Connaught Place headquarters in West London.

And today, with all 72 clubs represented as the league continues its fight to win payment in full of its void ITV Digital contract, they will also take a show of hands on whether to pursue entry for the Old Firm as a short-term solution to their financial problems.

As with every other step in this long, drawn-out saga, yesterday saw excruciatingly slow progress - and even that looked hollow.

Leyton Orient chairman and top boxing promoter Barry Hearn's belief is that only a 'handful' of the 72 are so keen to have the Old Firm included that they will upset the entire structure of English football, unless the FA suddenly does a U-turn on the issue.

And while supporters such as Bradford chairman Geoffrey Richmond may feel they have a moral justification in backing the Old Firm, following yesterday's slide by his club into post-TV administration alongside the SPL's Motherwell, even a sudden change of heart will not bring an invitation to go south.

West Bromwich Albion chairman Paul Thompson said that even if the Old Firm cross today's hurdle, based on financial proposals drawn-up between Rangers' David Murray and Celtic's Dermot Desmond last week in Perthshire, the process will stop unless the FA and the SFA join formal talks.

Despite yesterday's hints at progress, Nationwide League chairman Keith Harris left early to attend a funeral, Hearn devoted his energies to Prince Naseem Hamed and Richmond followed in Fir Park chairman John Boyle's footsteps into administration as a means of evading costly player contracts.

Thompson, meanwhile, indicated that the proposed two- year timescale for resignation from the SPL would be tough to meet unless Adam Crozier and David Taylor can secure backing from UEFA and FIFA for the Old Firm to be given special dispensation. Otherwise, how can they sanction any move?

He said: 'There have been discussions but because all the chairmen will meet here tomorrow on special business, we've decided to discuss it further when everyone is present.

'Clearly, there are a substantial number of regulatory hurdles and issues which must be addressed and challenged if this is to get off the drawing-board.

'The principal difficulty for proponents of the Old Firm being admitted is that the FA and the SFA have already taken a position on this matter - one that rules out their moving.

'They are the regulators and therefore it cannot happen unless they alter their stance. Without their participation in talks beyond tomorrow, there can be no process beyond the sort of speculation we have had recently. I can't say if there is a specific proposal from the Old Firm being put on the table - and they will not be represented - we have an urgent context to work through in any case over Carlton and Granada.

'The Old Firm have their own issues, too - so the Nationwide League would want the two FAs to consider their positions before taking more formal steps down this line.

'In the end, the two FAs must be prepared to talk with everyone involved, at every step of the way.'

Blackpool chairman Chris Muir added: 'This is a democratic organ-isation and each chairman should be able to express his club's views in a democratic manner. We will do that tomorrow.'

One week on from Harris' much-leaked visit to David Murray's Perthshire strategy base, the lie of the land in London has not changed.

As Hearn said: 'The Old Firm wasn't on today's formal agenda because there was nothing much to say about it. There is nothing clandestine going on. I just don't see evidence of there being sufficient will to try to bring them on board.

'It's just not workable and it's not worth continuing with all this spec-ulation. This has only come up again because of ITV Digital - but this is no solution either.'

Murray and Desmond, desperate to procure funds with which to mount a meaningful assault on Europe and the Champions League, will take heart from improved chances, doubtless triggered through financial persuasions.

The question is, can they buy enough support quickly enough for the FA, in particular, to be forced to re-examine the matter?