BROWN REJECTS SCOBBIE CLAIMS

ST JOHNSTONE chairman Steve Brown has hit back at departed defender Tam Scobbie’s claim that he was forced out of McDiarmid Park by the Perth chief. After signing for Dundee United, Scobbie said he was left feeling ‘under-valued’ after Saints offered him a 35-per-cent wage cut to remain with the club this season. The 29-year-old Scottish Cup winner (right) described the one-year contract offer as a ‘slap in the face’. But Brown now insists the package put in place for Scobbie (pictured) was fair given the lack of certainty over his place in Tommy Wright’s line-up. In a statement on the Saints’ website, Brown said: ‘I was disappointed by the timing of the comments. On a day when the thoughts of all Saints fans were on the excitement of the European draw, there was the distraction of a story from a player who claims to have Saints’ best interests at heart. ‘As much as I accept that he was part of a successful squad, he only started 18 out of 46 competitive games last season and, over the course of his five seasons with us, he was in the starting line-up in less than half of the games. ‘With this in mind, we tried to structure a deal which, although it did reduce his basic wage, offered a higher reward for him starting matches, so that if he played he wouldn’t be worse off. ‘We were only offering him a one-year deal after consulting and agreeing with Tommy. ‘It’s not new, though.

Anyone who knows this club and how it is run knows we will always endeavour to balance the expenditure with the limited income we have. ‘So to sign a quality player like Stefan Scougall — who we have pushed the boat out for — it stands to reason you have to try and balance the financial scales. ‘That’s what I saw us attempting to do with someone who was a squad player. In my opinion, that was a sensible way to address it. ‘It’s worth noting that among the numerous contract renewals we secured in the early spring, there are other players who have restructured their deals in order to remain at the club and I’m delighted with their outlook and understanding. ‘However, as with all players who leave St Johnstone, I thank Thomas for his contribution and wish him well for the future.’