Gary Bradbury is set for talks aimed at keeping him at Loughborough this evening, after the 1500m star refused to sign a new contract earlier in the year. The 3:43 man's contract expires at the end of the season and he is understood to be "very disappointed" with the new intake of first years. With rumours of a bust up between himself and Gandy's PA, Alasdair Donaldson, many have speculated that this campaign would be his last at the African Violets. Gandy conceded at a press conference last week that he was "dumbfounded" by Bradbury's comments but added that the "door would always be open" for him to reconsider. "You can never say never with an athlete of that quality" said an ashen faced guru "but I had a meeting with the Vice Chancellor last week and it was confirmed that Gary had said he wanted away".
Bradbury's decision is not thought to be related to money, however it is unlikely that anyone other than Loughborough's huge rivals Birmingham would be able to afford his £120,000 a week pay packet. Furious fans have flooded the airwaves of radio phone-ins expressing their dismay at the situation and several protesters were arrested outside the athlete's £4m Loughborough home. It is understood that police are "very concerned" for the safety of Bradbury at next weekend's Birmingham League. An insider said: "we have informed Loughborough that it probably isn't a good idea for Mr Bradbury to compete. We cannot guarantee the athlete's safety at this event".
A number of separate events are understood to have upset Bradbury and led to his shocking revelation. After a largely disappointing season, the former BUCS medallist is allegedly concerned that he would "waste the best years of his career" with a Loughborough squad that was failing to compete at the top level. A source close to the star said that the recent bust up with Donaldson was "the straw that broke the camel's back". Bradbury was left fuming after the Scot scrapped the Loughborough grass session and was not shy in telling him about it. HiPac staff were said to have had to separate the pair as James Dasaolu expressed his own fury that the spat was taking place on the plyo mat. "It was an all out brawl in the end," said an observer "the police had to be called to break it all up".
Gandy is keen to clear the whole affair up this evening, but did ask the Loughborough fans to "be patient" whilst the talks were ongoing.