Manager on Thursday

28/02/13: JJ "Something needs to change at this football club to get it back on track because we can't keep going on like this.

Jim Jefferies addressed the usual pre match press conference at Pitreavie after one of his most difficult 90 minutes in football. When he emerged from a players meeting with Jim Leishman and Bob Garmory he was ready to discuss the wages situation at the Club.

"This was always going to be a difficult day today because the February wages were due and after what has gone on, we have just been told that 20% is being put forward. When I tell you that this is not like wages at clubs where they get a lot of money and 20% can feel a reasonable amount but that is nothing if you look at what they get, and then take the tax off and get 20% of that figure you can understand their anger. Now they have got to go from here to the bank and let them know that mortgages, loans and things like car stuff, every day things that people face, they are not able to pay.

"I have said all the time that when you discuss it for the first couple of months and you hear the reasons why, players will always try and help but this has gone on too long. I have said the longer it goes on the worse it will get.

"Gavin (Masterton) is not here today, but Bob Garmory came down - he is not even a director at the Club but is part of the major sponsor Purvis group.

"He was honouring a discussion I had with him last week at the Share Issue meeting when I told him that the players did not like hearing things in the paper that they weren't getting paid, he said that that would not happen again. That is why he came down today to explain the position. He didn't need to, but he has gone in there and asked the question and come down here and been very, very honest and upfront and told us. It was not what we wanted to hear, but we will just have to wait, the Club has no money."

The time frame was come and gone as far as Jefferies is concerned:- "It started in October and we are at March now!  We would get 20% and maybe a little more next week (10%) but after that he couldn't tell us.

"The players are getting to the stage, they have taken advice and gone through the proper channels but it is getting to the stage now where you are just hoping that they are sensible but what can they do except take drastic action. I just hope that it doesn't come to that."

Asked if he was thinking of walking away, the Manager replied:- "I am here because of the boys. It would be easy for me to walk away, I have said before, and I don't mean this disrespectfully, that I came here to do a job because I enjoy it. I have enjoyed working here and working with this group of players.

"One thing that was said was that the Club might need to make more drastic cuts. They can't come on this side of things. They have gone from paying big money to a huge reduction in their wage bill. Those players have gone and we are averaging out at a certain level. My remit was to have a squad of 22 players, four of which were to be younger players and the average wage bill coming in about £500 per week.

"They are not getting it, you can take £500 a week on average, take the tax, etc off it and then suddenly get 20%. It's not hard to work out that is not going to pay your bills. To be third in the league and talk about getting promoted? The most important thing is that this Club survives. The fact that the Club are up there and the way that they are playing, maybe not with the results, but they are playing really well and I was happy with their performance at Falkirk.

"They went out on Saturday and I think Allan Moore has been very honest in saying that they (Morton) were absolutely battered in the first half. It hinged on a couple of decisions that went against us which happens when things are going bad for you.

"The fans understand what is going on. Something needs to change at this football club to get it back on track because we can't keep going on like this.

"We read the papers like everyone else, there are people there that are wanting to take the Club forward and they should all get round the table and get it sorted for the benefit of the team. How much more can these players take? They are entitled to walk and go and get a job. They have families to feed. It is the Club's responsibility when they are under contract and playing for them that they pay their wages. They are not on.

"It would be different if they were on masses of money but as it stands these players are very, very close to breaking point. You can maybe fend the bank off if you have a car loan or things like that but how do you pay it? If you don't have money coming in, where do you get it from? They are working, they are coming here every day putting their heart and soul into it and they are trying to do their best on the pitch and every time they get let down when it comes round to pay day. It can't go on. The Club has got to sort the situation out, Gavin Masterton has to sort it out.

"If we don't have any money then there is only one way it is going to go. If you don't have any money and you are not paying players then they could walk and go to another Club. If they went to a Club that was playing less than here, at least they would get paid. "Now we are talking about a share issue but there is no guarantee that it will raise £300,000 because people who are looking to buy these shares, they might be the ones that won't take it up on the basis of what has gone on at the Club.

"I am only trying to realistic and I mentioned that to Bob there just now; what happens if he doesn't reach the figure that he is looking for. We seem to talk about great figures that never seem to materialise. If he even gets half of what was expected, that represents the wage bill for one month at this Club. What happens the next month and what happens when there is no gate money coming in the summer."

The Manager was pleased that the revenue from last Saturday's game against Morton allowed the previous month's salaries to be brought up to date but was concerned that there was more than just wages to pay at the Club.

"I am sure the electricity and phone bill will have to be paid. Where does that come from? People who are in charge of the Club are responsible to set it up to live within its means, pay contracts and pay people.

"I think it is an escape for the players to get away from their houses, come in and look forward to doing something that they love - training and playing. They have been terrific. They have shown respect for working here and that they have spirit. Gerry, myself and the backroom staff can't praise them highly enough for the way they have handled this dreadful situation.

"When they go away from here it is a problem. I just do not know how much more they can take. Right now they are not far from breaking point. It is alright rallying round and saying that we will get through the next two months and then everything will be there. But that was based on certain things happening and those things have not happened. You then go another month saying that you can put up with delays but that was three months ago.

"Where do you go, where is this going to end? That's what they are concerned about, where is the light at the end of the tunnel?"

The players really appreciated Bob Garmory coming down to Pitreavie on Thursday but the Manager stressed "we have to get this sorted out or there will not be a Dunfermline Football Club. It is at the stage now where we are depending on things that aren't happening or coming off."

The Manager did eventually reach the subject of Saturday's game against Partick Thistle and he revealed that he had the same squad to select from as faced Morton with the possible addition of Andy Kirk. He has not trained this week but is expected on the training ground on Friday and so could make the bench.