Fraser Wishart insists the Dunfermline players deserve huge credit for the way they have handled themselves through months of financial turmoil and urged supporters to rally round to ensure the club pulls through administration.
The PFA Scotland chief executive addressed the club's squad at their Pitreavie training base yesterday, after Jim Leishman had broken the news that administrator Bryan Jackson had agreed to take over the running of the club, subject to the approval of Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
Wishart, who welcomed Jackson's appointment, having previously worked with the PKF insolvency expert at Clydebank, Motherwell and Dundee, is desperate to avoid what many will view as the inevitable job losses from the squad.
Having had to talk the players down from possible strike action recently after repeated late salary payments and broken pledges from owner Gavin Masterton, Wishart is adamant Jim Jefferies' team have handled themselves faultlessly as they have dealt with financial hardship.
With Masterton having been sidelined by yesterday's events, Wishart is hopeful the fans who have been reluctant to show their support under the former banker will now muster and aid the club's survival. "I hope the people recognise what these players have done," he said. "They could easily have walked away. There have been times when there's been a reluctance to play when morale was down and we have, as a union, had to speak to them and keep things going.
"But players can't just walk out and get another job because, first, there's registration windows and, second, the club will disappear. I hope there's clarity in a few days and the message goes out to the supporters that Bryan Jackson is now in charge and now is the time to get right behind Dunfermline.
"I understand why the fans have not being turning up to the games. But any money put in now goes to the club – you are helping the club survive. The administrator gets the money and it's ring-fenced to pay salaries, etc. A rallying call is required. The club is not out of danger. It won't be a long administration, he needs running costs until the end of the season and there's five home games left. But the core message is the players are doing their bit. Now the fans must get behind the club, too."
Wishart admitted yesterday had been the time for brutal honesty with the players over the possible consequences of administration and he did so while at the same time accusing Masterton of not being truthful in his dealings with the players through the sorry descent towards yesterday's turn of events.
"The players were not given honest answers," he claimed. "They were told they would get money by a deadline but when that deadline goes you lose trust. The desire from the players has been for openness and transparency and they haven't had that.
"The message from the club has often been 'there's nothing to see here, move along. It's not external debt, it's only internal, don't worry about it'. Meanwhile, they are struggling to put petrol in their cars.
"It's not just about the players. There are other staff members who have suffered genuine hardship, people who don't get paid very much. There's been real hardship and that's what people have failed to recognise.
"In a strange sense, at least there is clarity today. It's not the greatest news but it could have been worse – it could have been liquidation. You have to be honest and blunt with the players and I told them all about the role of the administrator. He's respon-sible for all the money coming in and out. While it's not a great day for them, they get honesty and that's all they've ever asked for."
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