Talks aimed at averting English soccer's first player strike broke up today without agreement but officials said further meetings would take place later this week.
The Football Association chief executive Adam Crozier, together with his counterparts at the Premier League and the Football League, held two hours of talks at the headquarters of players' union chief Gordon Taylor in a bid to diffuse the row over television cash.
"The meeting was held in good accord, nobody lost their temper," said Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).
"They have agreed to come back on Thursday," he told Sky Sports television.
The talks were convened after the PFA secured over 99 per cent support from players last Friday for the use of strike action in its bid to secure a five per cent share of the new Stg£1.65 billion television deal.
The PFA has 28 days from last Friday in which to call a strike, which would affect games where television cameras are present - in practice all games in the Premiership, and divisions one, two and three.
"It wasn't a question of any improved offer today," added Taylor. "It was a question of saying where we are and how that can be resolved.
"We're on a very tight schedule at the moment.
"There was a lot more respect from their side for our position.
"I keep living in hope. We've had a good discussion."