Thats what was reported at the time. Guess Cryne didn't want to offer an increased contract once the broken toy was fixed. Heard similar about Butterfield.
Well known at the time. He only came to get fit & look for a club. Had a mare at Portsmouth then scored that worldy from the kick off v Palace. A bit like some of mine, that one..
Don't think it would have mattered, he was always going to get more at West Ham. I remember about a year after we left, he fell out of favour at West Ham because he was wanting a pay rise to £80k a week (or so it was reported in some newspapers at the time).
Luke Steele told the story on the recent Undr The Cosh. £500 a week. Dozen goals at Xmas, went to West Ham on £25k a week and scored winner to get them to Prem and no doubt doubled his wage. £25 k a year to £25 k per week. Probably got a fit bird arnorl.
Early in the season we were playing Portsmouth away live on Sky. He was that bad he was subbed off very early in the game and I was convinced it was the last we would see of him.
500% payrise on what he was on before we took a gamble on him - we were never going to match West Hams wages, even if he'd been on 6k a week he'd have gone, reight bargain.
Wasnt it Keith Hill who mentioned how much we were paying him.... Although I thought it was 700 not 500...
He'd been dumped on the scrap heap and with his knee problem, no one would employ him. Barnsley had him on trial and offered him a short term contract. It was last chance saloon for him so he was happy to sign. If it didn't work out, it had only cost us a £25,000 gamble. Win/win