Wanderers are facing a race against time to get clearance to play Yugoslav Sasa Curcic in the Sky TV showdown against Bruce Rioch's Arsenal.
Burnden officials are hoping red tape can be unravelled to give their new £1.5 million midfielder the green light for the Monday night TV date on October 30.
But they are at the mercy of civil servants at the Department of Employment who are not noted for speed in processing work permits.
Wanderers have completed the formalities after clinching the deal with Partizan Belgrade for the 23-year-old international and asked the Dept of Employment for an update today.
The Premier League, Football Association and the Professional Footballers Association must be consulted before the necessary work permit can be granted. The Dept of Employment need to be satisfied that Curcic is an established international.
Wanderers take on Southport tonight at Haig Avenue in the second qualifying round of the FA Youth Cup.
Youth team coach Dean Crombie will select from: Glennon, Prince, Proctor, Gregory, Marsh, Aljofree, Bowman, Quinn, Marston, Feeney, Doherty, Hallett, Haley, Minchella, McLeod, Potter, Morrison.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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