I’ll be last Brown in charge at Saints says fed-up Steve

you’ve got to pay the market rate and it is too high at the moment.

“We have over-egged it. Our wage bill is probably sixth, maybe seventh in the league.

“It’s far too high and we can’t sustain that. There are huge concerns. We have got reserves so unfortunately this year we means. This year we aren’t going to do that, that’s disappointing to say the least.

“Right now we don’t have a league sponsor which is circa £2m. Trying to go out and find companies to invest at that level isn’t an easy job for the commercial department.

“That’s going to be extremely difficult.

“I would like to think we can get somebody in. But I’m not sure how these companies quantify their investment.

“If you put two million quid into Scottish football what return do you get? I don’t know who does that?”

Brown admits he was stuck between a rock and a hard place with the bookies’ backing for Scottish football.

He said: “It’s a good and a bad thing that companies are standing aside, whether they are under pressure from other quarters because it’s probably not right having gambling companies backing sport.

“Itgivesothersanopportunity. That’s fair and well if there are others there that are willing to take it on.

“In terms of the gambling it almost contradicts what we are trying to do. Gambling is a big thing in Scottish football, whether people want to admit that or not.

“On one hand you’re seriously trying to tackle the gambling addiction within the game. At the same time you’re taking their money. It’s a bit contradictory.

“If there is no more income coming in the obvious thing to do from a business perspective is cut back on your expenditure. There is no other option.”