GILLINGHAM chairman Paul Scally has trimmed his annual salary of £160,000 by 60 per cent as part of the club’s cost-cutting following the collapse of ITV Digital.

Mr Scally made the gesture in response to the prospect of losing 40 per cent of the club’s total income. “My own salary will be hammered - something like a 60 per cent reduction,” he said.

He also disclosed several players' contracts will not be renewed as he bids to reduced overheads to cover the loss. That could spell bad news for Iffy Onuora, Marcus Browning and Mark Saunders who have been negotiating new deals.

But Mr Scally stressed that players’ wages would not be cut as it was unacceptable to their union, the PFA. This followed a weekend report that Nationwide League players in all three divisions are being urged to take pay cuts to prevent their clubs going to the wall.

Many chairmen regard wage-cuts as inevitable, regardless of whether the clubs win their battle with ITV and collect the £178.5 million they are owed from the failed contract.

Division 1 clubs have blamed rises in season ticket prices on the collapse of ITV Digital.

Mr Scally today urged supporters who think Gillingham's new pricing structure is too high to cut back on away travel.

The club estimate an average away game costs around £30 per adult and while the club appreciate their tremendous away support, they do not receive any financial income from away league games.