The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

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Jevons Above!

By: Tony Hamilton
Date: 22/07/2003

UPSET Grimsby Town striker Phil Jevons has hit back at Town chairman Peter Furneaux after he was warned he would rot on the sidelines. Furneaux launched a broadside at Jevons in the Saturday Sports Telegraph after revealing he was sick of talking to Jevons about re-negotiating his contract.

Jevons had agreed to have his wages cut by 30 per cent, but now claims that the Mariners reneged on their agreement by moving the goalposts and asking him to take a 50 per cent cut instead. Now Jevons has revealed what Peter Furneaux allegedly said to him, namely:

  • Belittled him in front of the junior players and coaching staff
  • Warned him he would not be allowed to train with the first team
  • Instructed the kit man not to give Jevons any kit to train with
  • He was warned that if he became injured the club would refuse to treat him
  • Was told he would never play for Grimsby Town again or he wouldn't get a squad number

    Jevons had 12 months left on his contact, negotiated in the heady days of ITV Digital, and had been talking to Town in the last few weeks to try and kick-start his career after a disappointing season spent on loan at Hull.

    But these negotiations hit a brick wall when Jevons accused the club of reneging on the agreement to have his pay cut by asking him to have his salary deducted further. Jevons offered to forgo his appearance money until the outstanding balance on his transfer fee was settled with Everton, which meant writing this off himself.

    "I had said I would take a pay cut of over a third but wanted an extra year on my existing contract and was left like that. But the Club came back to me saying I could have the second year but the wage cut had to be nearer the 50 per cent mark. I replied to all this that’s not we agreed and I could afford it!"

    "After all this the Chairman came into the treatment room and started flying off the handle at me in front of the lads, the coaching staff, and even the YTS lads

    "I asked him not to say anything in front of the lads and he replied he is the chairman and can do anything he wants. As he walked away he warned me of the consequences of not agreeing which were I couldn't play for the First Team, I couldn't train with the First Team, and I couldn't play reserve team football for Grimsby Town.

    "He also said I wouldn't get a squad number and if I got injured I wouldn't get any treatment. As he was walking out he told the kit man not to give me any kit at all"

    "This has left me bewildered. We've gone from agreeing to a cut of 30 per cent, now for Town to tell me to take a 50 per cent cut, and now to this with the chairman saying he going to let me rot. I'd agreed to waive my appearance money until the transfer fee was paid meaning I was paying Everton my own transfer fee!"

    It appears there’s no way back for Jevons after this unsavoury incident and he is now looking for another loan move away from Blundell Park




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