Martin: 'Club between a rock and a hard place'
The auction has started!
First Southampton with £150k, enter Leeds at £175k, and a third, Millwall(?), in the backround, it's getting to look that Shrimpers striker Lee Barnard may not be in the side that plays Wycombe, let alone the rest of the season!
Our heroric chairman Ron Martin is standing firm, well at least until the offers break the £200k barrier, having turned down the first two official bids.
Uncle Ron is making the usual noises about having consulted Tilly and the club doesn't want to sell Barney but, and to be fair, he makes the decent point that if the good Lord wants to go, and it looks as if he does, better to get some decent dosh now than nothing in the summer when his contract ends.
Anyway, he told the Echo: "In the meantime, because the player recognises that he might double or even treble his wages at the clubs that have enquired, it would be difficult for the manager to keep him motivated when the player has at least one eye on leaving and potentially at a higher level. We're between a rock and a hard place. However, for the moment no decision has been made and whatever decision the manager and board comes to, it will serve the best interests of the club."