[milners]

Article about Elgin City from the P&J:



Elgin City are prepared to allow their entire youth squad to walk away from the club when the transfer window opens on January 1. The club has informed the SFA it will not be contesting the Scottish Youth Cup fourth-round tie scheduled for Pittodrie tonight as attempts are made to settle off-field problems. Aberdeen will progress to the quarter-final draw without having to play the game.

Scottish Professional Footballers' Association secretary Fraser Wishart chaired a meeting in Portlethen on Tuesday between City director Martyn Hunter and 20 of the youngsters employed by the club as part of the government funded Skillseeker programme. A group of parents also attended to question Hunter about what the future holds for their sons.

The players are employed on full-time contracts, but their jobs have been put in doubt by the recent takeover at Borough Briggs. Former assistant manager Kenny Black was the driving force behind the introduction of the Skillseeker scheme. When his attempt to buy the club failed, he and manager David Robertson resigned.

The duo have staged training sessions for the young players since then, with the permission of the club, but Wishart and his union are concerned a long-term answer has yet to be found. He said: "I am only interested in the players and in protecting them, not in taking sides about the ownership of the club. "Martyn Hunter came along to take part in the discussions and the club have said they will not stand in the way of any of the boys if they can find other clubs. That makes the next six-week period crucial. Once the transfer window closes at the end of January, the players still at the club will remain on the books at Elgin and on the wage bill." Some of the players have six months remaining on their current deals, but others have as long as 18 months left to run. Elgin have made it clear they want a swift resolution and Wishart added: "Elgin do not have the finances or the infrastructure to support full-time football in the long term. The wages are still being paid, but it is important we find a solution in the long term that suits both parties." Report from the Press & Journal.