Supporters' player-of-the-year Dave Savage looks like being bombed out of Oxford United.

Dave SavageAnd chairman Firoz Kassam has apparently blamed him for the team not reaching the play-offs.

"It doesn't look too good," Savage said. "It seems they don't want me there."

The former Republic of Ireland international had an outstanding season, winning over the fans with some excellent displays on the right side of midfield.

At the start of April, he voiced his and other players' concern at a lack of progress in contract talks, in an interview with the Oxford Mail.

He claimed the club had not kept to a promise that they would let him know by the end of March whether he would be offered a new deal.

And with a mortgage to pay and kids to support, he said the uncertainty over his future affected his performances.

It was believed that Savage, whose contract ends this month, was one of those at United who had been told he could stay if they took a pay cut.

But Savage, speaking yesterday from Dublin, where his daughter had been christened, said: "I've spoken to the chairman, and it doesn't look very good.

"I went in to see him and he said: 'You can find another club'.

"He blamed me for not being in the play-offs. He said the article with my comments in the Oxford Mail unsettled everyone.

"I tried to explain that the Mail had just phoned me to get my views, but he wasn't happy about it and he's been talking about giving two-week fines for players who talk to the press.

"I said I've done nothing wrong, and told him I'd never do anything to jeopardise the team's chances of reaching the play-offs, but it doesn't seem that they want me there - well, the manager does, but the chairman doesn't.

"It's disappointing, because I've enjoyed my time at Oxford.

"Anyway, I don't think the article did unsettle everyone. It was the eight months of the season before then that you've got to look at."

Though clearly upset at being made a scapegoat for the side missing out on the play-offs by just a point, Savage says he has not given up hope of an olive branch and some kind of offer to stay, and he would probably return to the Kassam Stadium today.

He says the players understand that that many new deals are on reduced terms.

Kassam said: "I don't comment on personal conversations. There will be hefty penalties for players who talk to the press."

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