ANGRY Darlington FC chairman George Reynolds last night condemned his players as greedy as he astonishingly lifted the lid on the club's wage bill.

In an unprecedented move, the colourful former safe-cracker has released details to The Northern Echo about how much Quakers players earned last season.

He has taken this controversial step after his players walked out of a meeting when he suggested making cuts in their bonuses this season.

The figures for the 1999/2000 season reveal that Darlington's highest wage earner, who is understood to be Neil Heaney, was paid a basic salary of £72,708.

But with match appearances and other bonuses, this figure was boosted to £139,251.

Even a player on an apparently "low" salary of £23,399, and who played only 19 games last season, was paid £35,575 when the bonuses were taken into consideration. The average salary for a third division player is £37,000.

The total wage bill for last season came to just under £1.4m and Reynolds says this is too high.

He wants to scrap the current bonus system and replace it with a system which is more in line with a Third Division club, but he has met with resistance from the players.

"All we are asking is to take away the greed so the fans can benefit for a change," he said.

"We have never baulked at paying wages for high-calibre players, but the bonuses which are being paid are too high."

Reynolds wants to pay his players a £500 win bonus if the club is in the top three this season and £250 if they are placed fourth to seventh. They would also get £150 for a draw.

But instead of bonuses for keeping clean sheets, or scoring a goal, he is proposing to offer the players a £10,000 incentive if Darlington get promoted at the end of the season.

"We want to get the club on a firm footing so the fans know it will still be here in 100 years time," he said.

"We want to attract first-class players and go to the Premiership with a new stadium, but we can only move forward if the housekeeping is right."

What they were paid - Page 7