FEW if any people in Junior football would have the temerity to point fingers at the financial management of Irvine Meadow but seasoned striker Paul Maxwell has felt compelled to do so after details were leaked of a meeting held last midweek between club officials and players to discuss cost-cutting measures.

Local newspapers carried the story (the source remains unknown) of how Maxi & Co rejected a threefold raft of proposals to help the three times Scottish Junior Cup winners stagger through until the end of this season – to agree a 10 per cent wage cut – to switch training sessions from Glasgow to Irvine – and to go on the transfer list in the hope of attracting signing bids.

The breaking news caused supporters to vent their feelings in fans forums and the Meadow Park dressing room to a man took umbrage at comments inferring they had helped bring about the Ayrshire club’s cash-strapped situation and were now coming across as indifferent to their sorry plight.

The upshot was Maxi being appointed spokesman and given the green light to compile a lengthy e-mail to supporters outlining the reasons behind the stance adopted by him and his team-mates.

Last night the 32-year-old took time out from preparing for this weekend’s crunch relegation battle at home to Petershill to say: “I’ve had a mixed bag of responses from my message to fans, many of whom are disappointed at us turning down a wage cut but there are a considerable number sympathetic to our refusal to be made scapegoats for this sad state of affairs.

“Every single player accepts full responsibility for results on the pitch but to land the blame for Medda’s financial botch-up at our door is just not on.

“And we are fiercely committed to sticking together and making a real fist of getting ourselves up the table hence the reason none of us are jumping ship.

“Our poor performances have put us where we are today and we want to make amends.”

Recent fund raising ventures, including an innovative share issue, appears to safeguard the future of the 119-year-old Medda however getting out of their current predicament is not going to be easy and neither is it unlike the story of the English tourist who is lost and driving aimlessly through various Highland glens searching for his bearings.

He comes across a crofter on the road whose idea of giving directions is a lengthy narrative entailing a straight drive for a mile or so and then various turns wholly dependent on the driver knowing local landmarks.

Seeing the Englishman’s puzzled countenance the crofter duly reflects for a moment before adding: "Mind you, if I were in your position and knowing where you want to go, I wouldn’t start from here!”

From the outside looking in, one cannot help but think Irvine Meadow as a club should have been pulling on the reins at the start of this season.

Against this backdrop, Medda gaffer David Greig has attempted to ready his playing charges for facing Petershill in what he terms as “a massive game for both clubs”.

His selection hand is hampered by the absence of Ryan McGarry (injured) and Gary McCann (suspended) while there is every likelihood of goalkeeper Graham Shepherd accepting a transfer approach from Cumnock before tonight’s signing deadline however there is better news on the availability of tough competitor Robert Halliday who has appealed his red carding in the Irvine club’s last outing against Auchinleck Talbot and is eligible to play against the Peasy.

Greggy admitted: “ It’s been anything but straightforward But I’ve tried to concentrate on nothing but football matters this past week.

“My only focus is on picking up all three points in the Petershill match which incidentally is only the second time I’ll have taken charge of the team in our own backkyard... and I was appointed manager in early January.

“We’ll miss Gary who would have been available but for the postponement of last week’s game but on the positive side, his absence opens the door for someone else to lay down a claim for the wing berth.

“Shep’s departure is just about a done deal and it leaves us with just one goalkeeper on the books in Daniel Tobin however the simple fact is we need to cut our cloth as best we can.

“As manager, it’s pleasing to hear the players voicing their determination to get us out of the mire but the acid test comes now and they really need to back up their words with actions starting on Saturday in this must-win 90 minutes.”