STEVE Claridge has rubbished claims by Poole Town manager Tom Killick that Salisbury FC are paying players “National League money” as "absolute nonsense".

Killick's remarks followed transfer of Marvin Brooks from the National League South outfit to Salisbury, who play two divisions below.

Claridge told the club website: “That’s absolute nonsense. A myth.

“This is so far off the mark and Tommy is betraying his lack of knowledge of our club and our league, and showing a disrespect to both.”

Mr Killick told the Bournemouth Daily Echo: “It's so horrific that [Brooks] will be playing in the league he's going to.”

He added: “Salisbury are paying National League money.

“It's astounding, really, what they do in the league they're in – that's not a criticism, it's a compliment."

He also said: “[Brooks] doesn’t want to play in that league but feels it's something he has to do because of the financial reward. I make no criticism of him for that.”

Speaking about the Whites' failed promotion bid, Mr Killick said: “It must have been a catastrophe for them not to get out of that league and you would imagine they'll win it by 20 or 30 points next season.”

The Whites' boss responded: “Everybody seems to offer an opinion about our football club without knowing the true facts.

"We are not paying fortunes, despite this view of us put about by those who have some sort of agenda or who guess at these things.

“We pushed the boat out for one player last year and that was Justin Bennett. I knew we had to use his money for another big player and that player was Marvin Brooks, who will be on the same as Justin was last year.”

He added: “We cut our cloth according to the gate money we bring in from our fantastic average league crowds of 700.

“To say that Marvin didn’t want to play in our league is probably true as he wants to progress, as does Salisbury FC. He certainly wanted to play for me and this club. That was clear from our conversations.

“As for his money being ‘astounding’, well, when he told Poole he was leaving, all of a sudden they offered him the same money."

Claridge also said that despite losing Bennett to Oxford City he did not “have a pop” at the club for wanting his star striker, adding “its football and you have to be big enough to take it”.

“When a manager can’t keep a player, he should show a little dignity rather than grandstand like this to put the blame on others.

“I’m only speaking out because this idea that we are somehow paying fortunes is just plain wrong. Comments like Tommy Killick’s just further the myth and at some point we have to make a stand rather than let this go unchallenged.

“We’re all trying to get Salisbury FC back to the level it should be but there’s no-one here at this club prepared to be irresponsible with the way we go about that.

“I want everyone to know, including our fans, that we certainly do not have the wage bill people like Tommy Killick are putting out there in an effort to try and divert attention from what’s happening at their own club.”