The Nationwide League has agreed a television highlights deal with ITV believed to be worth �5m over two years.

Lower division football has been without a terrestrial highlights broadcaster since ITV Digital went into administration in April.

The new package is believed to be the best available but is still a far cry from the riches originally offered by the old digital deal.

The ITV Digital contract promised �178.5m for live rights and highlights over a two-year period.

But following the company's collapse, the league has only been able to secure �95m from Sky for a four-year agreement covering just live games.

Add in the highlights deal, which is expected to be announced officially later this week, and the league's rights have an average annual value of �25m over the next two years.

That is less than a third of what the original ITV Digital deal was worth.

And not all of the highlights package's headline figure of �5m may come in hard cash.

It is believed that sum could include a settling of legal costs incurred by the league in its failed pursuit of ITV Digital through the courts.

For many of the Nationwide clubs currently teetering on the financial brink, the deal will bring little immediate improvement in their precarious positions.

First Division sides are likely to receive �90,000 a year, Second Division teams �45,000 a year and Third Division outfits just �35,000 a year.

The new deal was agreed by a majority of the 72 club chairmen and is likely to have been most welcomed by Second and Third Division sides, where revenues requirements are lowest.

But many First Division clubs signed players on lucrative deals in anticipation of receiving �2.5m a year from ITV Digital.

And an extra �90,000 a year will make little impact on their efforts to balance the books.