NATIONAL League authorities have organised a series of crisis meetings next week to avert a threatened strike by the Players' Football Association of Ireland which has been called for next weekend.

Next Tuesday there will be a preliminary meeting between representatives of the FAI/National League and the PFAI. This will precede a full meeting of the National League's Board of Control on Wednesday which has been brought forward by two weeks. On Thursday, just 24 hours before the strike is due to begin, there will be a full meeting of the FAI/National League and the PFAI.

The PFAI have long since declared their dissatisfaction with the "multiplier" transfer system which was brought into effect this season and their resultant loss of representation on the transfer tribunal.

National League president Michael Hyland said yesterday: "We don't have a problem in meeting the PFAI demands. We will give them representation on the Tribunal and we will negotiate any adjustments they feel might be necessary in the systems.

"But we won't be having another Tribunal this season and anything we agree cannot be put into practice until the agm in May."