A FOOTBALLERS' union last night criticised Darlington chairman George Reynolds for lifting the lid on the club's wage bill.

The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) said it was saddened that the Quakers supremo had chosen to make public details of what his players earned last season.

It followed the exclusive publication in The Northern Echo yesterday of the players' salaries and bonuses for the 1999/2000 campaign.

An angry Mr Reynolds took the unprecedented step of opening up the club's books after Darlington players walked out of a meeting when he suggested making cuts in their bonuses.

The figures revealed that some players earned more than £100,000 last season when bonuses, which Mr Reynolds feels are too high, were taken into consideration.

But PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor believes revealing the players' wages will do nothing for team morale.

"A football chairman should not resort to such public tactics to get his own way and it certainly is not a conducive way of trying to get the loyalty of his players. We would argue there is an element of confidentiality to players contracts and this is a very strange step that he has taken." Mr Taylor said Mr Reynolds will only be able to change the bonus system if he has the agreement of players under contract to the club, which he does not.

However, new players signing for Darlington could be offered different bonuses.

Former Middlesbrough footballer Bernie Slaven has also expressed surprise at his tactics.

The Century Radio commentator said: "I think it will cause friction, because the players will be able to see what their teammates are making."

Peter Thorns, chairman of the Darlington Football Supporters' Club, said: "I can appreciate what George is trying to do but I don't think this will do anything for team morale."

Mr Reynolds wants to scrap the current bonus system and replace it with a scheme which is more in line with a Division Three club.

He has proposed paying his players a £500 win bonus whenever the club is in the top three and £250 if they are placed fourth to seventh.

But instead of bonuses for keeping clean sheets, or scoring a goal, he has offered the players a £10,000 incentive if Darlington get promoted at the end of the season