YORK City chairman Douglas Craig admits he is a worried man over the transfer saga that is haunting football.

"I have always been an optimistic person but if the commission's views hold sway then I'm afraid I am quite despondent about the future," he said. "The implications are potentially disastrous."

Craig admits some change is inevitable but fears overzealous, unelected bureaucrats are just meddling in football's affairs.

"The battle has to be that we don't end up throwing the baby out with the bath water.

"One worries about the people who are leading this in the European Community. One can only think they do not have a clue about football certainly in this country, and the conditions of contract and the contract procedure that exist here.

"The question has to be asked what is best for football, the players and the clubs?

"And you have to get a healthy balance.

"I can't say what the situation is on the continent on the mainland of Europe but what has developed over the years in this country has been a progressive but balanced compromise between everybody involved.

"It worries if that balanced compromise just gets chucked out of the window on the whim of a few commissioners who do not owe their existence to any democratic process."

So while Craig is loathe to demand that football demands special protocol as many campaigners claim, he insists the British transfer system does.

"I don't like the word special case because every situation demands that it be treated as an individual situation.

"But I don't hold any brief for the situation that brought about the Bosman case.

"What existed on the mainland of Europe at that time with the country involved was totally and absolutely unjust.

"But the system that existed then and now in this country was fair.

"In this country and in similar circumstances to the Bosman affair, if the two clubs couldn't have agreed a fee and the chap was out of contract it would have gone to an independent tribunal to set a fee that would have been binding on both clubs.

"That independent commission has representatives from both the players sides and the employers side.

"That system was always fair. It was chucked out because of the unfairness on the mainland of Europe."

Away from the politics, opposition to the proposals is not all about money although changes could spell financial disaster for clubs like City concedes Craig.

But it could mark the beginning of the end of clubs' youth academies, denying thousands of youngsters the chance of developing their skill's and turning potential into a career.

As importantly for Craig, it would also bring to an end clubs playing a decisive role in the social development of thousands of youngsters.

"There are two elements in doing the youth academy," explained the City chairman.

"There is the social element of doing your best to let young lads with ability to develop that ability and have an opportunity to make a career in football.

"We have over 100 boys at our Centre of Excellence and all from within an hour and a half of York, regularly being coached in football and encouraged to develop good habits, good character and good standards.

"The other side, of course, is that for smaller clubs there is also a distinct possibility that every year or two you get a jewel who produces in the transfer market to keep your club going.

"If that cannot continue then every small club has to seriously look at how much money and time and energy they are expending on the youth team and the youth policy."

Nor does Craig accept the proposals will necessarily be welcomed by players who, according to many commentators, will be quids-in if the new ideas become reality.

"Loyalty is a two way process.

"In my experience, players are more often than not wanting get a longer contract than a short in order to get some security.

"If you get to a situation where they can unilaterally walk away after freely negotiating a contract then the club will have an equal right to walk away- and that is just bad.

"In my opinion it is bad law and it sets a bad standard for people to be acting.

"It must also be remembered there are a few hundred players who were released in the summer at the end of their contracts who are still looking for gainful employment in football."

dave.stanford@ycp.co.uk