United boss Nigel Adkins has predicted that a couple of Championship clubs could fall into administration when the season has finished.

And should that happen, it would frustrate an Iron manager whose club are noted for their responsible behaviour in the transfer market.

Scunthorpe have already been relegated from the second tier, and are preparing for a season in League One next year.

Speaking in his post-match press conference after the superb 1-0 win at Watford, Adkins - who wouldn't reveal which clubs, said: "We are a very well-run football club and irrespective of relegation, we will not be going into administration.

"I'm sure you might find at the end of the season that a couple of clubs in the Championship go into administration, and that will be the bug-bear for me.

"If they do go into administration, then the points will be lost after the season is finished, and that will be interesting.

"Who knows on that, but we're a club who could have gone out and spent as much money as we can, but that's no guarantee of success.

"Look at the teams above us who will have invested heavily in the summer - it's no guarantee of success. And it's very important that Scunthorpe has a team in the Football League."

He added: "We set ourselves a target at the start of the season of 48 points and we can still do that.

"Unfortunately it wouldn't be enough to keep us up, although it would have been last year.

"But we have done ever so well in the majority of games this season, but how do you measure success and failure? Relegation is failure, but for our football club to have performed as well as we have, you have to give credit."

Adkins was asked again if Norwich City had come in with a bid for 14-goal leading striker Martin Paterson, as suggested in some of the national newspapers last week.

He said: "There will be interest in our players but most of them are under contract, so if anyone comes in, the club will be able to get the transfer fees that we believe are right.

"Norwich have not been in touch with us at all about Martin Paterson. I have spoken to his agent, but media speculation will abound throughout the summer."