THE Newcastle football squad received an £11m bonus last year, plus an average wage of £40,000 to £50,000 a week.

Twelve months on and the ugly bonus payment has reared its head again (Echo, Aug 7).

A lot of fans would have been looking forward to the media interviews or the walk up shots that the players refused to do because of their dispute over bonuses.

Their boycott this is wrong. Let’s hope it gets resolved quickly, but a bonus should have to be earned not just given on a plate for turning up.

Here lies the problem: some of the players are making a fortune for just turning up and then they want a bonus on top.

The players need to start thinking about the fans rather than the money.

I know who should come first but it appears the players don’t.

Dave Bowes, West Auckland