WALES are heading for a row with clubs and television companies over the re-scheduling of their Euro 2004 clash with Serbia & Montenegro for the first week of the new Premiership season in August.

UEFA have agreed to lodge a request with FIFA that the day of the new Belgrade fixture (August 20) - currently set aside in the international calendar for friendly - now be considered a full competitive date.

That will mean Wales boss Mark Hughes will be able to demand his players are released four, rather than two, days before the match.

The TV companies will want to re-schedule top Premiership games for the Sunday, Monday or even Tuesday of that week, and there is likely to be a full Nationwide League programme.

And if that, for example involved Manchester United, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Everton, Birmingham, Southampton, Tottenham or Middlesbrough, it would mean those clubs having to release Wales internationals to join-up with Hughes' squad, or not play their TV game.

If FIFA do not agree to the change in status of the date, Hughes will find himself getting his players just 48 hours before the Belgrade match on the Wednesday, meaning the likes of Ryan Giggs, Gary Speed and Craig Bellamy could be required to play matches on the Monday evening.

It is a nightmare scenario the Football Association of Wales want to avoid after their experiences back in November with the away game in Azerbaijan when Hughes' players performed for their clubs on the Sunday and Monday nights with Robbie Savage getting injured and pulling out of the trip.

FAW international secretary Mark Evans said: "We will be demanding that UEFA take up our case with FIFA to have the date's status changed.

"At the moment it is a friendly date but our match is being moved from next week out of our control and for non-football reasons.

"We want UEFA to ask FIFA very quickly so we are able to tell the Premier League and Nationwide clubs in plenty of time so they know what to expect."

UEFA are certainly sympathetic to Wales' needs and UEFA director of communications Mike Lee said: "August 20 is an international match date, which has been earmarked for friendlies.

"But we will discuss with FIFA turning this into a full international matchday so that the two associations will have full claim on their players being available."

Wales' problem is that TV companies will no doubt push to have first-week fixtures moved, and clubs will certainly complain bitterly about losing star names.

Last November Birmingham challenged FIFA's ruling and finally won their case so there is no certainty the world governing body would be able to make any decision stick against a likely legal challenge.

Hughes said: "We certainly don't want a repeat of the problems we had last time. This is something we will need to address as a matter of urgency."

But, despite potential looming problems, it wasn't all doom and gloom for Hughes. He belives that the new August date will allow his players to now solely focus on Saturday's qualifier with Azerbaijan at the Millennium Stadium.

And he should have the likes of Cardiff City's Danny Gabbidon (back), West Brom's Andy Johnson (foot), Leicester City's Matthew Jones (ankle), Aston Villa's Mark Delaney (knee), Grimsby's Darren Barnard (shoulder) and Reading's Adrian Williams (knee) all back in the squad after injury. West Brom midfielder Jason Koumas has also withdrawn from the Wales camp after a family breavement.

"You can take positives out of this decision," said Hughes. "It will be the start of the season and the players should be fresher and eager to play after the summer break."

* Police confirmed this morning that Wales and Newcastle striker Craig Bellamy has been ordered to appear before Cardiff magistrates, on a date yet to be fixed, to face public order charges. Bellamy was allegedly involved in 'an incident' outside a Cardiff nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning.

* Aston Villa defender Rob Edwards and Cardiff full-back Steve Jenkins have been added to the squad while Crystal Palace's Kit Symons, Sheffield United's Robert Page, Burnely's Gareth Taylor and Tottenham Hotspur's Simon Davies have all reported unscathed following midweek matches.

* Welsh soccer fans who had planned to travel for the Serbia and Montenegro Euro qualifier in Belgrade next week face losing money now that the game has been postponed.

Ceri Stennett, the Football Association of Wales Press Officer, said: "There is no doubt that unfortunately people will lose money if they do not travel. But we have heard that some will still go because they have booked flights, hotels and time off work.

"We had 1,320 applying to us for tickets and hopefully they would have taken out travel insurance."

Fans wanting help should contact the FAW on 02920-372325.