Geoff’s patience snaps with the Pars

Jul 8 2011 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ST Johnstone chairman Geoff Brown yesterday lost patience with First Division champions Dunfermline.

He accused the Fife club of dragging their heels over a loan deal settlement and lit the blue touchpaper well in advance of an August 13 SPL clash at McDiarmid Park.

Brown told PA Sport: “Dunfermline still owe us nearly £10,000 from the loan deal they agreed for Kevin Rutkiewicz during the January transfer window.

“I understand that Kevin was outstanding for Dunfermline as they secured promotion to the SPL. But, in effect, we have subsidised their title win because we were paying Kevin’s wages through to the end of May and we are still waiting for their cheque long after the end of the season. But I am determined the bill will be settled in full.

“For the last month or so I have personally taken on the task of hunting down what I would describe as a bad debt within the football club.

“We have now had three or four clubs due money for the wages of players going out on loan.”

One of them was Tayside rivals Dundee, who took midfielder Jamie Adams on loan last season.

But the cash-strapped Dark Blues have come up with the cash and Brown has given the green light to a challenge match on Wednesday at Dens Park.

But Brown is now ready to play hardball with any future loans and has taken steps to prevent any repetition of the Pars’ problem.

The chairman revealed he has instructed recently appointed club general manager Stuart Hutton to get tough.

“When players go out on loan now from this club we will be demanding a direct debit is set up to make sure they stick to the agreement.

“It’s hard enough in the current economic climate trying to make your own club work without finding yourself subsidising others.

“Scottish football is a goldfish bowl and no one wants to rock the boat. But we all have to run our clubs in a competent manner.

“I’m sure most of our fans thought the directors were crazy to allow debt to accrue for players that were out on loan. In the case of Dundee it was probably bad judgement because we all know what happened to them on the financial front.

“But their chief executive Harry McLean has done everything he could to alleviate the problem and a five-figure cheque has now been passed to St Johnstone.

“We took account of all the trials that Dundee have been through but I feel aggrieved at Dunfermline’s attitude. I have called their chief executive Willie Hodgins several times and have left messages asking him to get in touch. No one has had the decency to return my calls.”

Confirming that the provisionally arranged friendly with Dundee will go ahead in midweek, Brown revealed that an agreement had been struck between the clubs which sees gate money from fans accessing the away end going into Perth coffers. He said: “For obvious reasons, I am suggesting St Johnstone fans who normally go into the main stand at Dens Park head for the away end on this occasion!”