FRASER WISHART insists many players will experience another summer of discontent in the increasingly "difficult business" of Scottish football.
Reports --- The Daily Record
The former Motherwell and Rangers defender - currently chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland - claims many will remain unpaid since their deals ended after the last game of the season.
And he added clubs will wait before making a move to sign or re-sign them.
"Less and less players are being paid through the summer," Wishart said.
"When you hear of players getting a year-long contract it is usually only 10 months and finishes the day after the last game of the season.
"Clubs can go without paying players from the middle of May until the end of June.
"Some clubs are now reluctant to give us a list of freed players.
"The term getting used more often is 'we will keep you informed'.
"They take a risk that no other clubs will come in for them.
"The levels of salary have also dropped dramatically and we have issues with the clubs such as holiday pay because the players obviously can't take holidays during the season.
"It is a difficult business now. Players are facing continual wage cuts and some players in the First Division are having to re-asses whether the wages they get make it worthwhile."
Wishart was speaking on his return from St Andrews yesterday, where he gave a presentation to referees at their annual conference in a bid to strengthen relations between his members and officials.
He believes a mostly "healthy respect" between the two sides could be improved by better communication.
He added: "There has been dialogue with John Fleming since he took over as head of referee development at the SFA.
"He asked me up to speak to the referees and I think it was successful.
"Generally there is a healthy respect between the players and referees, the players understand the pressures the officials are under.
"We just want to improve on that relationship with formal and informal meetings.
"The main focus of the presentation was on the way forward.
"We are keen for the referees to get out to the clubs and meet the players and talk to them about things like the laws of the game, any new edicts from FIFA and how they will be applied.
"They should explain to the players about mandatory yellow cards and other things that are discretionary.
"It is about more than dialogue though, it is also about both sides listening to what is being said.
"Yesterday was only the start of the process but I was really pleased with the way the presentation was received."