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Thomas too expensive for Saints


WAYNE THOMAS may have to find a new club for next season after Saints boss Mark Wotte reluctantly admitted he is too expensive for League One.

Wotte has been impressed with Thomas’ application and professionalism as he has battled back to fitness after missing all of last season with a serious knee injury.

But Thomas was one of the few players in the squad who was not signed during Rupert Lowe’s spells at the club and so did not have the substantial pay cut in the event of relegation written into his contract.

He was already one of the highest earners in the squad with Daily Echo reporting six months ago that his salary was around £8,000 a week.

That is huge money in League One so it may be that Thomas will have to look to impress watching scouts during Saints’ pre-season programme to try to move on elsewhere.

When asked about Thomas, Wotte said: “All I can say is that Wayne Thomas is still a very expensive player and for League One too expensive.

See today's paper for more on this story


Your Say YourHampshire

Billy 2 Baps, Gosport says...
1:12pm Sat 4 Jul 09

8k Per week, more like 2.5K I say. Dont Worry Alex it will all be done soon enough.

Billy 2 Baps, Gosport says...
1:20pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Funny no mention of the Eastleigh friendly today. Kick off 3.00


SW wild-farm

so19, southampton says...
1:27pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Too expensive for any division if he's injured all the time

Saints Mike, Southampton says...
1:28pm Sat 4 Jul 09

8k per week wouldn't give 8p, when he fit he wasn't much cop. Goodbye, no great loss

Rudd Gillett, Saffhampton says...
1:30pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Another player who has taken out of Southampton FC more than he will ever put back in. He was struggling to hold down a place befoore he was injured.

Southampton Heart, Living Near Manchester says...
1:30pm Sat 4 Jul 09

He owes's us a season free of charge!.

OSPREYSAINT, Southampton says...
1:34pm Sat 4 Jul 09

If he does not appreciate what the club has done for him then quite frankly, it is time to go, but how much truth is there in the report?

Badja, Boyatt Wood says...
1:38pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Southampton Heart wrote:
He owes's us a season free of charge!.
Agreed! Good luck with finding someone willing to pay you that much every week, ya carthorse!! He would be right at home in league 1. No-nonsense, uncompromising, big, hard, no skill! no touch! no finesse! - Perfect!
sw - each sell?

Ludacris, B/W says...
1:40pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Thought he left ages ago.. so we paid nearly half a million last year for him to do stuff all,..nice one and good bye

kinkyboots, land of leather says...
1:51pm Sat 4 Jul 09

i wish i could get paid £8k a week for being a complete 3 legged donkey.i think saints would do well to off-load this sick-note orientated player.never ever worth that kind of money good at giving penalties away tho

wonder weasel, southampton says...
1:56pm Sat 4 Jul 09

kinkyboots wrote:
i wish i could get paid £8k a week for being a complete 3 legged donkey.i think saints would do well to off-load this sick-note orientated player.never ever worth that kind of money good at giving penalties away tho
Get a job at saints and you just might

Saintan, Southampton says...
1:57pm Sat 4 Jul 09

isn't this the same story the echo ran 6 months ago in their "wages exclusive"

i dont think £8000 is quite the figure, but still, we all knew this - poorly negotiated contract, setup by wilde - and exactly the same quote that mark wotte said when we were first relegated - "too expensive for league one"

have the echo spoken to mark wotte again and asked him his current viewpoint on thomas' wages?

or are they just copy and pasting the new story from the original one (writing is re-writing!)

get off your ar*es and go speak to someone echo - go find thomas and ask him how he feels about his contract, given our financial plight - maybe he has a story for you!

you wont find out if you simply regugitate old news that your hoping we've forgotten about

Jesus_02, Freemantle says...
2:03pm Sat 4 Jul 09

I think that we will struggle to get rid of him. We need to re-negotiate otherwise he will have another season on the bench to avoid appearance money

Spudsaint, Enfield says...
2:05pm Sat 4 Jul 09

If he could stay fit he would be an asset. A lot of posters on here think L1 will be a stroll in the park. Having watched a lot of lower league football I can assure you that's not the case. With our current squad, -10pts and no sugardaddy we're heading for L2 FACT. If Thomas will take a pay cut keep him cos he's the sort of player we'll need.

born1990, Thornhill says...
2:30pm Sat 4 Jul 09

8K, he is useless, get rid of him as well as Saga and Rasiak, over paid donkeys the lot of them.

Saint_John, Bassett says...
3:55pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Another non-story from the Echo.

They get a coach who is not much above sunday morning parks league standard who is hopefully going to be dumped in a day or so make a statement about an another area he knows nothing about - league 1 football.

This club will not go forward again until all of lowe's men are gone
GET THE CLUELESS WOTTE OUT !

season ticket holder, totton says...
4:01pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Saint_John wrote:
Another non-story from the Echo. They get a coach who is not much above sunday morning parks league standard who is hopefully going to be dumped in a day or so make a statement about an another area he knows nothing about - league 1 football. This club will not go forward again until all of lowe's men are gone GET THE CLUELESS WOTTE OUT !
Mark Wotte has a 12 month rolling contract

eastleigh-ian, raglan says...
4:21pm Sat 4 Jul 09

by by thomas . cant say we will miss you . were you ever fit ?

wellers, godstone says...
4:38pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Another bright comment fron saint john!!...what coaching qualifications has got to be judging others in that manner? The club wont go forward with so called supporters like you.

kel12, eastbourne says...
5:10pm Sat 4 Jul 09

we need thomas at the back with perry wot bout jps wheres he gone ?

Condor Man, Southampton says...
5:33pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Burley made some awful signings didn't he. Crouch and Wilde rubber stamped them so they share the blame too.

Saints drew 1-1 with Eastleigh by the way

Tirau Dan (NZL), Tirau (NZL) says...
7:30pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Saint_John wrote:
Another non-story from the Echo.

They get a coach who is not much above sunday morning parks league standard who is hopefully going to be dumped in a day or so make a statement about an another area he knows nothing about - league 1 football.

This club will not go forward again until all of lowe's men are gone
GET THE CLUELESS WOTTE OUT !
Sorry but firstly this is a proper story by the Echo. It does report facts and quotes that are of interest to us. I'm pleased to be informed like this.

Secondly you should read up as Mark Wotte is on contract. He stuck with the team when Pinnacle were making all sorts of premature claims. He got handed a team when it was pretty much spiralling out of control and gave it some stability. It was some lazy good for nothing over paid prima-donnas that blew it.

Mark Wotte could have walked away to an easy job. He has proven a staunch man at the right time. Killer Svenssen has stuck with him as an assistant, now I want to see how they go with a decent budget and would give Mark Wotte a proper chance before slagging him off. Maybe if he gets some top signings on a budget and he gets some wins you'll change your mind, maybe if we aren't looking so hot at Christmas I'll change mine?

Until then Saints need fans to unite and keep such negativity to themselves at the moment.

UP the Saints
Unite and Fight!

Captain Swing, Southampton says...
9:19pm Sat 4 Jul 09

This is quite simple, so simple even Adam Leitch has managed to grasp it: when Rupert signed players he included a clause in their cotracts saying that there would be a 50% reduction in their wages if Saints were relegated.
When Saints were relegated the wage bill was halved. The wage structure was managable in the Championship.
When Wilde & Crouch stepped into the Club, to save us from Rupert, give the club back to the fans etc, with their new, super, let's buy really brilliant players who will get us back in the Premiership policy, they guaranteed new signings Premiership wages with medium term contracts. Contracts that couldn't be honoured unless we returned to the Premiership.
When Rupert returned he had to find £6-million to placate Barclays. He couldn't flog the big time players that Wilde and Crouch brought in because no other clubs would match their wages.
So, when cretins like Carter and Leitch were screeming, why play kids when we could be playing ... who is on loan last season, they were really, seriously (and probably deliberately missing the point, Rupert and Wilde (realising that he pay have buggered up) were trying to repay the overdraft.
Of course, this is a massive simplification, but if you want to blame somebody for the current mess, I'm inclined to point the finger at those who have failed to to report the fact properly since 2003 - and the bottom line is, Rupert is not a fibber.
And I challange anyone to prove otherwise. And you can bet the Echo will give you the space to say Rupert is a rogue, but they won't back them up in court.

SW11_Saint, London says...
10:57pm Sat 4 Jul 09

Captain Swing wrote:
This is quite simple, so simple even Adam Leitch has managed to grasp it: when Rupert signed players he included a clause in their cotracts saying that there would be a 50% reduction in their wages if Saints were relegated. When Saints were relegated the wage bill was halved. The wage structure was managable in the Championship. When Wilde & Crouch stepped into the Club, to save us from Rupert, give the club back to the fans etc, with their new, super, let's buy really brilliant players who will get us back in the Premiership policy, they guaranteed new signings Premiership wages with medium term contracts. Contracts that couldn't be honoured unless we returned to the Premiership. When Rupert returned he had to find £6-million to placate Barclays. He couldn't flog the big time players that Wilde and Crouch brought in because no other clubs would match their wages. So, when cretins like Carter and Leitch were screeming, why play kids when we could be playing ... who is on loan last season, they were really, seriously (and probably deliberately missing the point, Rupert and Wilde (realising that he pay have buggered up) were trying to repay the overdraft. Of course, this is a massive simplification, but if you want to blame somebody for the current mess, I'm inclined to point the finger at those who have failed to to report the fact properly since 2003 - and the bottom line is, Rupert is not a fibber. And I challange anyone to prove otherwise. And you can bet the Echo will give you the space to say Rupert is a rogue, but they won't back them up in court.
I suggest you pop onto www.saintsweb.co.uk to chat about it. You're Lowe apologist views will go down well there...!

Incredible that, like the man himself, you blame everyone bar RL for our demise! Quite indcredible. Poppycock and balderdash of course, but still quite incredible.

You also seem to ignore Lowe's list of shortcomings - his lack of vision/ambition in the top flight, meddling with management teams/player purchases, inability to make the right mangerial appointments or keep those few decent managers we've had (what was it again, 10 in 10 years?), forcing his "revolutionary ideas" on us (rugby coaches, "Total football" with 17 yr olds in a cloggers league etc.), his total and utter disdain for his customers, his uncanny ability to generate appalling PR for the club - to name a few. Oh, and then there's the trifling issue of the two relegations on his watch, and taking us into administration at the worst possible time (although it did thank God rid us of him!).

Still, no point letting facts get in the way of a bit of pro-Lowe propoganda, eh?

rey619, Southampton says...
11:00pm Sat 4 Jul 09

i think he will be a big loss if he goes, our best defender, if we can keep him fit.

SaintsFC-George, New Milton says...
3:26am Sun 5 Jul 09

rey619 wrote:
i think he will be a big loss if he goes, our best defender, if we can keep him fit.
Could not disagree more... he was poor when he played but he rarely paid anyway. With him gone, its £8000 a week saved, not a player lost.

Mike_Saint, Soton says...
5:05am Sun 5 Jul 09

Spudsaint wrote:
If he could stay fit he would be an asset. A lot of posters on here think L1 will be a stroll in the park. Having watched a lot of lower league football I can assure you that's not the case. With our current squad, -10pts and no sugardaddy we're heading for L2 FACT. If Thomas will take a pay cut keep him cos he's the sort of player we'll need.
At last someone with some sense!

Im with you Spud...

Southampton boy, Southampton says...
8:18am Sun 5 Jul 09

Firstly Saints will not be paying the 8k as all football club take oout insurences on their players to cover injuries he will only be paid once he is fit again so if he is as good as MW says may be they can look at his contract and if he wants to say on at a cheaper rate then like many people today are taken a pay cut he could also do the same, stilll do not think Saints will be taken oover by end of next week

Bob's Your Uncle, Eastleigh says...
8:39am Sun 5 Jul 09

If the Swiss bidders include billionaires, as has now been reported, perhaps financial worries will soon be a distant memory. But somehow can't see Saints being that lucky.
(Have you read the opinions and given your views on Southampton World? www.ohwhenthesaints.
net )

Ben Durutti, Shirley says...
12:30pm Sun 5 Jul 09

By the looks of how Wayne Thomas was fired up for the 45 minutes he played at Eastleigh yesterday he could have something to prove this season

lallanaland, guildford says...
2:47pm Sun 5 Jul 09

A Terrible signing from day one. Didn't even look any good in the championship on the odd occasion that he was fit enough to play.

sdowd2, southampton says...
10:10pm Sun 5 Jul 09

SW11_Saint wrote:
Captain Swing wrote: This is quite simple, so simple even Adam Leitch has managed to grasp it: when Rupert signed players he included a clause in their cotracts saying that there would be a 50% reduction in their wages if Saints were relegated. When Saints were relegated the wage bill was halved. The wage structure was managable in the Championship. When Wilde & Crouch stepped into the Club, to save us from Rupert, give the club back to the fans etc, with their new, super, let's buy really brilliant players who will get us back in the Premiership policy, they guaranteed new signings Premiership wages with medium term contracts. Contracts that couldn't be honoured unless we returned to the Premiership. When Rupert returned he had to find £6-million to placate Barclays. He couldn't flog the big time players that Wilde and Crouch brought in because no other clubs would match their wages. So, when cretins like Carter and Leitch were screeming, why play kids when we could be playing ... who is on loan last season, they were really, seriously (and probably deliberately missing the point, Rupert and Wilde (realising that he pay have buggered up) were trying to repay the overdraft. Of course, this is a massive simplification, but if you want to blame somebody for the current mess, I'm inclined to point the finger at those who have failed to to report the fact properly since 2003 - and the bottom line is, Rupert is not a fibber. And I challange anyone to prove otherwise. And you can bet the Echo will give you the space to say Rupert is a rogue, but they won't back them up in court.
I suggest you pop onto www.saintsweb.co.uk to chat about it. You're Lowe apologist views will go down well there...! Incredible that, like the man himself, you blame everyone bar RL for our demise! Quite indcredible. Poppycock and balderdash of course, but still quite incredible. You also seem to ignore Lowe's list of shortcomings - his lack of vision/ambition in the top flight, meddling with management teams/player purchases, inability to make the right mangerial appointments or keep those few decent managers we've had (what was it again, 10 in 10 years?), forcing his "revolutionary ideas" on us (rugby coaches, "Total football" with 17 yr olds in a cloggers league etc.), his total and utter disdain for his customers, his uncanny ability to generate appalling PR for the club - to name a few. Oh, and then there's the trifling issue of the two relegations on his watch, and taking us into administration at the worst possible time (although it did thank God rid us of him!). Still, no point letting facts get in the way of a bit of pro-Lowe propoganda, eh?
in the first 9yr era of lowe we had acadamy,new stadium,fa cup final,europe,8th and 11th in premier league.A couple of top managers in strachan and hoddle.Was it lowes fault certain allegations were made against dave jones?was it lowes fault that the tottenham job came up when we had hoddle?who was the main if not only person to have the balls to want hoddle back. LOWE

SW11_Saint, London says...
11:30am Mon 6 Jul 09

sdowd2 wrote:
SW11_Saint wrote:
Captain Swing wrote: This is quite simple, so simple even Adam Leitch has managed to grasp it: when Rupert signed players he included a clause in their cotracts saying that there would be a 50% reduction in their wages if Saints were relegated. When Saints were relegated the wage bill was halved. The wage structure was managable in the Championship. When Wilde & Crouch stepped into the Club, to save us from Rupert, give the club back to the fans etc, with their new, super, let's buy really brilliant players who will get us back in the Premiership policy, they guaranteed new signings Premiership wages with medium term contracts. Contracts that couldn't be honoured unless we returned to the Premiership. When Rupert returned he had to find £6-million to placate Barclays. He couldn't flog the big time players that Wilde and Crouch brought in because no other clubs would match their wages. So, when cretins like Carter and Leitch were screeming, why play kids when we could be playing ... who is on loan last season, they were really, seriously (and probably deliberately missing the point, Rupert and Wilde (realising that he pay have buggered up) were trying to repay the overdraft. Of course, this is a massive simplification, but if you want to blame somebody for the current mess, I'm inclined to point the finger at those who have failed to to report the fact properly since 2003 - and the bottom line is, Rupert is not a fibber. And I challange anyone to prove otherwise. And you can bet the Echo will give you the space to say Rupert is a rogue, but they won't back them up in court.
I suggest you pop onto www.saintsweb.co.uk to chat about it. You're Lowe apologist views will go down well there...! Incredible that, like the man himself, you blame everyone bar RL for our demise! Quite indcredible. Poppycock and balderdash of course, but still quite incredible. You also seem to ignore Lowe's list of shortcomings - his lack of vision/ambition in the top flight, meddling with management teams/player purchases, inability to make the right mangerial appointments or keep those few decent managers we've had (what was it again, 10 in 10 years?), forcing his "revolutionary ideas" on us (rugby coaches, "Total football" with 17 yr olds in a cloggers league etc.), his total and utter disdain for his customers, his uncanny ability to generate appalling PR for the club - to name a few. Oh, and then there's the trifling issue of the two relegations on his watch, and taking us into administration at the worst possible time (although it did thank God rid us of him!). Still, no point letting facts get in the way of a bit of pro-Lowe propoganda, eh?
in the first 9yr era of lowe we had acadamy,new stadium,fa cup final,europe,8th and 11th in premier league.A couple of top managers in strachan and hoddle.Was it lowes fault certain allegations were made against dave jones?was it lowes fault that the tottenham job came up when we had hoddle?who was the main if not only person to have the balls to want hoddle back. LOWE
And Hoddle would have guaranteed success wouuld he? Like he did at Wolves? Umm.. right...

I think you're over exaggerating the "9 years of success", and are focussing on 20% success rather than his absolutely dismal record the rest of the time (2 relegations and administration more than counter any of the good stuff!).

As for the Academy - the cupboard is now bare; every single player of talent is gone (okay, Lallana hasn't quite gone yet), yet we still went into administration. So, what was the point? One thing to have an academy we can all enjoy the results of, another to have it simply to just flog them off to the first serious bidder (and still go into financial meltdown!!).

Since you've named some managers, here's another few - Gray, Wigley, Sturrock, Redknapp, Poortvliet (not to mention jettisoning Pearson). Care to comment on those too?

sam kurn, southampton says...
6:26pm Mon 6 Jul 09

I fink thomas should go and we should start off with all of our young stars in leage 1 and keep a few players with experience for defence!

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