DIRECTOR of Football Mel Machin today warned the Professional Footballers' Association's proposed player strike could have "catastrophic" effects on Cherries' finances.

The PFA yesterday confirmed the Division Two side's December 1 clash with Tranmere Rovers at the Fitness First Stadium would be subject to strike action.

In a statement released by chief executive Gordon Taylor the players' union insists all league games that have cameras present would be listed as part of their nation-wide strike.

That would include Cherries' Dean Court clash with Dave Watson's Rovers because the match highlights are due to be shown on both Sky and Meridian TV.

Machin said: "Nobody can afford not to play games because the money that a football match generates, both commercially and from gate receipts, is huge.

"Our financial situation has been well documented and what with the new stadium and everything it is vital that we bring in as much money as possible.

"The next few days are the most important for the powers that be because they have to work out a way of avoiding a strike. There has to be some common ground."

The imminent strike action has come about because the Premier League, Football League and Football Association have refused to give the PFA the five per cent share of the current TV deal they are demanding.

The players' union recently volunteered to decrease their demands to £27m a year, but they were offered just £16.7m

Taylor sent notices of industrial action to all 92 league clubs when talks with the football authorities' fell down at a meeting in Manchester on Tuesday night.

At a ballet held last week 99 per cent of the union's members, including those at Dean Court, pledged their support to the strike action.

Machin said: "I sympathise with the PFA because they do a terrific job for players both while they are playing and in whatever they do outside of the game.

"I think it is a tremendous credit to them that 99 per cent of our footballers are backing them and that shows a tremendous level of solidarity.

"I'm sure deep down our players don't want to strike because they won't get paid if they do. The fact the Premiership players who are on £40,000 a week are prepared to strike shows how much this means to people.

"There have been strike threats before, but I have never known a situation as serious as this in all the time I have been involved in football."