GILLINGHAM FC chairman Paul Scally has banned representatives of the players' union, the Professional Footballers' Association, from entering Priestfield and the club's training ground.

The Gills chief has also rejected an offer of financial assistance from the PFA. The decision of a club to exclude the PFA is thought to be unprecedented in the union's 95-year history and lessens the prospect of Gillingham reaching a settlement in the long and drawn out saga over players' bonuses.

Only last week, player-manager Andy Hessenthaler called for a quick resolution of the issue.

Mr Scally delivered stinging criticism of the PFA in his programme notes for Tuesday's home game with Wolves when he said: "Some of our players have decided not to accept the proposed new bonus scheme which we put forward to help relieve our current financial plight.

"I believe the proposal was thwarted by the PFA, and I have great concern that if the union continues with this rock-solid attitude of protectionism, it will have many more players out of work at the end of the season.

"If they cannot reduce the salary levels, clubs are bound to want to reduce the size of their squads in order to balance the books. Players who might have been retained will be allowed to leave."

He publicly thanked club captain Paul Smith, Barry Ashby and Chris Hope for trying to broker a deal. Today it emerged that relations between the club and the PFA reached breaking point on Friday following a conversation between Mr Scally and local representative Bobby Barnes.

The 39-year-old former West Ham winger was told that neither he, nor any of his PFA colleagues, would be welcome at Priestfield or the training ground. In a statement, Mr Barnes confirmed: "There had been dialogue between the PFA, the players of Gillingham Football Club and Paul Scally.

"The PFA informed the players of their contractual rights with regard to proposals to cut the bonus scheme. Mr Scally took great exception to the fact that the PFA had informed the players of their contractual rights and as such decided to ban the PFA.

"We would like to point out that the PFA have offered Gillingham Football Club, through Mr Scally, financial assistance in these difficult times for so many clubs. Mr Scally has declined this offer.

Mr Barnes also disclosed: "The Gillingham players had offered, in line with a number of other clubs experiencing difficulties, to defer all of their bonuses until the end of the season, at which stage they would be prepared to re-negotiate the bonus schedule for the following season.

"Football League regulations state that contracts, including bonus schedules which form part of the contract, may not be altered unless a further 12 months is added to the original contract.

"I would like to state that the PFA has no personal animosity towards Mr Scally and have merely pointed out existing legislation. It is unfortunate that Mr Scally feels that because we have informed the players of their rights we are undermining his position."