A LEADING Suffolk football manager has slammed players’ use of social media websites.

Bury Town manager Richard Wilkins said he thought Twitter and Facebook websites were a “poisoned tool” in the wake of members of his squad openly writing about whether they will stay with the Ryman League Premier Division club next season.

Although not wishing to name the players concerned, Wilkins is clearly disappointed.

He said: “I believe Twitter is a poisoned tool for the media. It seems to me that it causes more harm than good as does Facebook. From a journalist’s point of view it is a heaven, but players don’t realise what they put on there sometimes doesn’t come across very well.

“I don’t think it is the right thing to do to start plastering details on there which should be between the player and the club.

“It is all right to write on there that you have bought a new pair of shoes, but when you start writing about contractual issues that doesn’t seem right to me. You should deal with people face-to-face.

“A simple tweet can be misinterpreted. We have had a couple of instances where things have been taken out of context, and on reflection people have realised they were over the top.”

It is not the first time managers and players have locked horns over the use of Twitter. Billy Clark, who ironically has committed himself to Bury Town next season, ended his career at Ipswich Town by tweeting he was “glad to be out of there to be honest” – provoking an outburst by Blues boss Paul Jewell.

The Town manager was also subject to a strong four-letter expletive from former left-back Shane O’Connor who then became embroiled in a row with supporters on Twitter.