Terras doomed as four stars leave club
By Derek Bish

Monday 8th March 2010

CAPTAIN Scott Brice hailed Weymouth as the best club he has ever played for after departing the Wessex Stadium with Jake Reid, Josh Llewellyn and Matt Groves this weekend.

The skipper, Llewellyn and Groves all played and battled valiantly in their side’s 3-1 loss to champions-elect Newport County on Saturday knowing they would have to take a 50 per cent pay cut or depart the club.

The Terras’ top scorer Reid was left out of the team as he is on the verge of securing a move to a Blue Square Premier outfit, and Brice admitted it was a sad way to end their turbulent spell at Weymouth after agreeing mutual termination of their deals.

He said: “The chairman offered us a 50 per cent pay cut, which I wasn’t willing to do travelling down from Bristol – I would have been out of pocket.

“He offered us that or decline the cut and see what happens at the end of March. We could have been waiting until the end of March and not got anything.

“It just wouldn’t have worked. The money they were offering wouldn’t have covered my petrol money and they don’t even know if there is going to be a club in a month’s time.

“At the end of the day I have to look after myself. I’m only working two or three days a week so I can’t be paying 30 quid twice a week on petrol.”

The players were aware of the situation ahead of Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Newport County but still put in a good shift that nearly snatched a point.

“A lot of respect should go to the players. There were five or six people out there knowing they weren’t going to stay at the club yet still put in a great performance like that,” added Brice. “It’s just a shame it has gone down this road and I hope I have done myself proud.

“I’m proud to have been captain of Weymouth – it’s a great club with great fans and a great ground.

“I’ve got no hard feelings against anyone at the football club. George Rolls has had to make the cuts because it is a sinking ship – why pay the money when it is sinking.

“Hopefully one day I will be back down there one day because I loved every minute playing for Weymouth.

“Off the pitch it was difficult at times like not getting paid for eight weeks but my love of playing for them kept me coming down and running out on that pitch.”

The players without a club have until March 31 to sign up for another or face waiting to rebuild their careers until the summer.

Right-winger Groves said: “If the CVA wasn’t accepted then we weren’t definitely going to get paid so it is better for me and the others who are going to leave to make sure we do get money.

“A lot of things have happened since I’ve been down here but the fans have always got behind us so I’ve quite enjoyed myself.

“The chairman is just trying to sort out the money so you can’t blame him for that.”

Chairman George Rolls commented: “We’re going into a CVA, relegation is a certainty and why should we spend money on players we don’t need to.

“There will be players leaving or, if not leaving, will be asked to take pay cuts.”

Manager Jerry Gill added: “Ever since I’ve been in the job we’ve been speaking about trying to get a budget within the means we have to adhere to but that doesn’t faze me at all.