3SC players on strike •Demand 5 month salaries, match bonuses

•Issues will be resolved soon —GM

PLAYERS of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan, on Tuesday embarked on strike to press home their demands.

The players had planned to commence strike action last week before their match day 45 fixture against visiting Enugu Rangers, but shelved the plan after they were paid a month’s salary before the game.

According to some of the players who spoke to Tribunesport, the management, apart from owing them five month salaries, did not explain details of the contracts they signed with the club.

“Yes, we refused to train today because we want our outstanding salaries paid. We have been living on empty promises and we are fed up. Football can’t be played on empty stomachs.

“We are being owed up to five months salaries and bonuses of 12 matches this season alone aside the 15-match bonuses they didn’t pay last season. I think this is the best time to make our grievances known to the public.

“In fact, we have to let people of the state know what we have been going through since January this year,” one of the players told Tribunesport.

Another player who pleaded anonymity said their welfare had not been given topmost priority it deserved.

“We have been receiving half salaries all along as the management failed to even negotiate with any player or club officials, this is unprofessional.”

“We all have families that depend on us, we have to pay our children’s school fees. At times, some of us get stranded at the stadium after training because there is no money to take us back to our respective homes.”

“Things are pretty difficult for us and we have resolved not to honour any game again except they pay our our entitlements, I mean 100 per cent not even half salaries they used to pay,” fumed the player.

Another player added that “people should not think that we want to sabotage the club, this is the only way our employers will know that we can’t cope any longer.”

Responding, General Manager of 3SC, Mr Rasheed Balogun told Tribunesport by phone that “I also heard it but everything will be resolved very soon”.