Interview by James Colasanti
GRAYS manager Jody Brown has apologised to East Thurrock over the Jay Leader move and labelled speculation over the defender’s wages as “ludicrous”.
Former Aveley centre-back Leader joined Athletic last week after initially agreeing a move to their Rymam Premier rivals East Thurrock. It was not well received at Rookery Hill and led many in the local non league game to speculate that the player had been lured with high wages.
But Brown – who only took over at Grays late last month after leading Heybridge into the play-offs last season – says the rumour mill has been unhelpful and inaccurate.
He said: “The figures being bounded about – £450 a week – are absolutely ludicrous. And people have to understand when they talk this much nonsense it does provoke reaction and it does have repercussions. ”
Brown said it had unsettled other players in his squad and would leave other potential recruits with unrealistic expectations about their own wage demands.
The ex-Halstead boss, 35, did admit, though, he had sympathy with East Thurrock over how the Leader move to them had broken down.
He said: “I would like to apologise to East Thurrock in this situation.
“I don’t feel responsible for them losing Jay but at the same time I appreciate he had signed a form with them and they had an agreement with him.”

To listen to the interview in full please go to http://www.sportinessex.com/jody-brown-apologises-to-east-thurrock-over-jay-leader-move-and-labels-wages-speculation-ludicrous/

With thanks to www.sportinessex.com for the article