No option but to release players, says Pars chief

ROSS McArthur insists the chance of the 17 players freed by Dunfermline coming back to haunt the club with rivals is ‘the risk I’ve got to take’.

The Pars chairman took the ‘horrendous’ decision last week that he could not offer any of the club’s out-of-contract players – including skipper Paul Paton and vice-captain Lee Ashcroft – fresh terms against the backdrop of the current uncertainty over next season because of the coronavirus crisis.

Goalkeeper Ryan Scully has questioned the Fifers for not keeping players on and making use of the government’s furlough scheme, whilst midfielder Tom Beadling criticised the club for a lack of ‘support’ during difficult times and Paton expressed disappointment at being left hanging on for a decision.

The East End Park outfit’s statement said they were not in a position to offer contracts ‘at this time’, and McArthur, inset, has not ruled out performing a u-turn should Scottish football’s immediate future be sorted out.

He said: “Things could change. In the list there’s some young boys with potential and there’s some good professionals who have been at the club for a number of years and played a lot of games.

“Rather than leave it right to the end of May, we pushed it as long as we could, hoping we might get some degree of clarity – but we’re not there. We tried to wait as long as we could.

“I can’t increase my cost base any further in the hope that this happens or that happens. I just couldn’t do that, it would be foolhardy to do that.

“So, I’ve got to err on the side of caution and if some of the boys that are freed land up at clubs in the Championship, playing for competitors, that’s the risk I’ve got to take.”