Paul Fenwick: End Of The Road

[Gunnerhibby]

Paul Fenwick has accused Hibs Chairman Rod Petrie of wasting the fans hard-earned money and stifling the teams chances of even greater success by refusing to sanction his early departure from the Club.
The 35-year old has'nt played a first team match for the Uefa-Cup bound outfit in over two years and has'nt even trained at the club after being ostracised by Petrie.

The Canadian Internationalist claims the Hibs supremo prevented manager Tony Mowbray from even giving the defender a chance to prove himself last season because of an increasingly bitter contract stand-off.
Instead, he sat at home and looked after his two-year old twins and saw out the remaing year of his five year spell with the club in frustrating fashion.

Fenwick, who last kicked a ball for the Leith side in a 2-1 win over Livingston, in May 2003, is concerned fans will see him as a villian for continuing to pick up his wages whilst seeing his deal through to its expiry at the end of last month.

However, he insists he had offers to leave turned down by Petrie, who refused to sanction a pay-off in january which the former Raith and Morton centre half argues would have allowed Mowbray to bring in a new player to bolster their Uefa cup charge.

Fenwick- only six months into a new two-year contract at the time- was one of only two players to accept wage cuts proposed by Petrie and in return received an extra year on his deal.
But, within months, he was told by Petrie that the appearance money and bonuses negotiated as part of the deal were unacceptable and that he would have to agree a second pay-cut if he wanted to continue playing for the club he joined in 2000.
Now as he prepares to build a new life as a physiopherapist in his native Canada, Fenwick has delivered a stinging parting shot at Petrie in as bid to clear his name.
He said, "I'm looking forward to getting on with the rest of my life because its really been on standby for the past two years.
Since september last year I've not even trained at the Club and I dont even think I had a squad number for last two seasons.
The season before last I assumed it was something to do with the manager, Bobby Williamson. But now I think there is something more going on behind the scenes.
Tony Mowbray has been fantastic with me, I've got a lot of time for him, he treated me with the utmost respect, and I think he will go on to really great things in the future.
But the first time I had a meeting with him he told me he could'nt play me because he was being told by someone from above that he could'nt.
THe one constant in all of this is Rod Petrie.
It might sound like a bit like sour grapes but I just want the fans to know that I did everything I felt I could do to get away from the Club.
In January I went to Hibs and said this is whats left on my contract, pay me off. Because it would have been a redundancy payment package you would get the first £30,000 tax free. Thats the equivilant of £1000 a week which could have gone towards a new player.
Hibs had a good season last season but it could've been better if they had reached an agreement with me.
As far as I'm concerned this is one example of financial mismanagement, one that I know about because it involves me, but what others are there?
How can you justify spending money on me to stay at home? Its not Rod Petries money, its the supporters money.
They are constantly told their season ticket money will go to improve the club and strengthen the team but on this occasion it has gone to have me sitting at home on my backside. What a waste of money."

With Hibs struggling financially three seasons ago, the highest earners in the side were asked to take pay cuts, but with the top seven refusing, Fenwick and Frenchman, Freddie Arpinon, were the only two to agree.
Despite that, and within months, Fenwick was then asked to accept another reduction in his deal, as the club looked to renegotiate contract with the likes of Tam McManus and John O'Neil.
Fenwick added, "Rod Petrie was the one who negotiated the contracts and you could argue that he was the one who got the Club into the situation it was in. I can assure you he does not give you anything he does'nt want you to have.
John O'Neil and Tam McManus got a lot of stick because of the big appearance money they were on but the did not hold a gun to his head and force him into anything.
He just negotiated my pay cut and I did'nt think it fair to expect me to take another one almost straight away.
It was him who agreed to my appearance money and bonuses and another year on my contract. In the end that extra year has actually cost the club more money than if I had sat tight on my original deal.
The Club is fantastic, the supporters are fantastic, I'm dissappointed the way things have ended for me"

[Greenman]

Well Mr Petrie what have you got to say for yourself. In the eyes of the supporters you are rapidly becoming a Pariah
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Take your 10% stake in all things Hibs and resign.
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