The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dunnefears beingleftin thewilderness
JAMES DUNNE has revealed he fears being caught in a nightmare Catch-22 situation next season.
The midfielder joined St Johnstone at the end of January after being frozen out at parent club Stevenage.
Dunne was signed by the English League One side from Exeter for £125,000 in May 2012.
However, the former Arsenal trainee was told he could go out on loan as, after making 59 appearances for Stevenage, another outing for the club would mean Exeter would be due another £25,000.
Now, though, it seems that Stevenage are set to invoke a 12-month option on his contract with a view to picking up a transfer fee, with the 24-year-old fearing that he could spend next season kicking his heels on the sidelines.
He said: “At the moment I’m not sure what is happening with me next season. I’m up here to play my football and trying to forget about the uncertainty.
“I haven’t spoken to Stevenage since I came up in January and I haven’t heard anything direct from them about next year.
“They did say they wanted to keep me earlier on in the season. Whether that’s still the case I’m not too sure.
“My contract is up in the summer but they have a year’s option on me.
He added: “They would have to pay £25,000 to Exeter if I play more games for them but they have said they won’t be paying that so if they take up the option I will be getting paid but won’t be playing football next season.
“Don’t ask me what the logic would be behind that.
“If they go down that road bemused by their decision.
“That could put me in limbo for a season — as it did this season up until January when I got the chance to come to Scotland. “I’m 24 and in my prime. If I was older I would probably want them to take up that option because there would be the security of getting paid. But I am at an age when I have to be playing football.
“I played for three seasons at Exeter after leaving Arsenal and every week for the previous manager at Stevenage.
“I have played most of the games here and I am enjoying it.
“Anything is possible in football but we have to wait and see what happens. “It’s all out of my control at the moment. “Obviously the Stevenage manager (Graham Westley, and I don’t see eye to eye about this.
“Every time I speak to someone in football they are as bemused by it all as I am but I am enjoying myself training and playing here. The players and the coaching staff are great.
“I know guys like Jody Morris and Michael Duberry enjoyed their time here and at Stevenage I spoke to Marcus Haber and Michael Doughty who had been here and they were very positive.”
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