PFA chief executive defends Leeds' Players
By Michael Lynch
January 21 2004
TREVOR BIRCH has been accused by PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor of misleading the Leeds players with regard to a wage deferral.
The players had been informed they would be kept out of
the equation, as Taylor said: "Just a few days ago they were told their
wages weren't going to be affected.
"Then suddenly they are being asked to help provide the money to keep the
club going, and we're talking £3.5-5m, which is no small change.
"For Premiership players that is something they weren't expected to have to
accept.
"I hope you can understand that as Premiership players they had every right
to expect that when they were offered their contracts, they would be
fulfilled."
Taylor, though, is refusing to rule out the possibility of Birch having to sell
a player, as he added on Sky Sports News: "To be fair we discussed that.
"The players aren't naive. They know there are players who would be of
value to other clubs and they appreciate that at the moment the vultures are
hovering.
"The club, if they do get offers, realise the value of a player as well and
don't want their best players to be virtually given away.
"But there are a number of options open to the club before the end of this
month and they want to wait to see if those options are taken."
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