Salary row casts dark shadow over County

League Two salary cap is powerless to stop Magpies likely promotion party today

(GETTY IMAGES )

As promised at the start of this season, Notts County should be promoted today. The League's oldest club need a point at home to Morecambe to complete stage one of the "project" launched with much fanfare during the summer.

It will not be the most popular of promotions, nor has it progressed as intended when Munto Finance bought the club in the summer and swiftly recruited Sven Goran Eriksson and Sol Campbell. Eriksson is now coaching Ivory Coast, Campbell is playing for Arsenal, and Munto Finance has disappeared leaving a trail of debt.

They have also bequeathed a wage bill which is by some distance the highest ever seen in the bottom tier, which is why few rivals will be offering congratulations. A salary cap operates in League Two; clubs are allowed to spend only 60 per cent of turnover on players' pay but this includes shareholders' donations. With Munto Finance's unknown backers pledging to put millions into the club County appeared able to spend heavily luring not just Campbell, but also Kasper Schmeichel (formerly of Manchester City, now on a five-figure weekly wage), much-travelled striker Ade Akinbiyi, freescoring ex-convict Lee Hughes (scorer of 25 League goals this season), and several leading lower-league players such as Karl Hawley and Ben Davies.

It soon became clear all was not well. Campbell walked out and bills went unpaid, especially to the tax man. The League pressed the club to identify their owners. There was a bizarre attempt to raise investors in North Korea. In November, HM Revenue and Customs applied for a winding up order and, the following month Munto Finance put the club up for sale. It was bought for £1, plus debts estimated at £1.5m. Eriksson left, walking away from a five-year contract. Hans Backe, an old colleague recruited to replace the incumbent, Ian McParland, followed. He now coaches New York Red Bulls. Steve Cotterill was eventually appointed manager.

Surprisingly – or maybe not given the quality of the players recruited – the squad has put all this upheaval aside to embark on an impressive 14-match unbeaten run, capped by five straight victories, to stand on the brink of promotion. The problem, of course, is the wage bill is breaking the rules. County are cheating, but the only sanction the League can impose is a transfer embargo – not a problem for a club with a good squad. For promotion rivals such as Bournemouth and Rotherham, both deducted points in recent seasons for going into administration, this is galling.

This month a heated meeting of clubs instructed the League's board to look at strengthening the rules. It is too late to halt County's promotion, but even their joy will be muted. There is no salary cap in League One, but their wage bill is clearly unsustainable and, like their debt, will not be easy to reduce.

*Paul Ince will leave MK Dons at the end of the season citing impending budget cuts. Ince, who was given a five-match touchline ban by the FA yesterday, rejoined the League One club last summer.

Football League: Ups and downs

Championship

Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion promoted.

Peterborough relegated, Plymouth could follow on Monday depending on the weekend results of others.

League One

Norwich City promoted if they beat Charlton, Swindon fail to win, and Millwall lost last night.

Stockport County are already relegated.

League Two

Notts County promoted if they avoid defeat, or Rotherham fail to win. Rochdale up if if they win, or Rotherham and Bury fail to.

Darlington relegated, Grimsby Town join them if they lose to Torquay and Barnet and Cheltenham both win.