THEY are fighting tooth and nail to avoid dropping back into the cash-strapped Nationwide League but it appears Wanderers are already feeling the knock-on effects of the collapse of ITV Digital.

They have made Gareth Farrelly available for transfer and First Division Rotherham fancy taking the Republic of Ireland midfielder.

But Millers' boss Ronnie Moore is struggling to do the deal because of a lack of funds.

That, Sam Allardyce insists, is a direct consequence of the cash crisis in the lower leagues, and means he is no hurry to let Farrelly leave the Reebok.

"The financial restrictions in the Nationwide League is now a massive problem for Premier League clubs," the Wanderers' boss explained.

"We had some people saying 'Oh, they're their problems, let them deal with them' but now it's a problem for us because we can't sell our players to the Nationwide League and recoup some money for us to spend on either players or wages. We find ourselves having to give these players away and that means a massive loss in terms of turnover and revenue.

"Be it us or Manchester United, we all want to move players on and get some money for them or make a profit on them, if we can, but because of the state of the Nationwide League financially, that's gone out of the window.

"There really is no reason for me to let Gareth Farrelly go to Rotherham, other than if I choose it's the right thing for this football club .

"Rotherham wouldn't be able to match his wages so I'd have to help them with that. I could let him go on loan to get some first team football so that he could come back here and play a part in our last few games. But if I choose that it's not the right thing for me, I won't do it."

Rotherham have been tracking Farrelly for some time but Moore was reluctant to make his move until checking on the midfielder's form.

Allardyce says his player's record speaks for itself.

"Gareth Farrelly is a top First Division player," he stressed. "If I was a manager of a First Division side I wouldn't need to look at him. I'd take him on his record - 42 games in our promotion year.

"I'd just stick him in my side and know we'd be a better team for having him in."