How respect for Newell withered on the Vine

Plucked by Steve Bruce from a dogfight at the bottom of the division and given the chance to help his new team clinch a return to the Premiership, Vine might be expected to have nothing but good things to say about the move from Kenilworth Road three months ago and his former manager who sanctioned it, Mike Newell.

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But after the recent revelation that Newell — who had been a fierce critic of the money taken out of football by agents — had a clause in his contract entitling him to 10 per cent of Luton's transfer profits, 24-year-old Vine feels a sense of bitterness over the whole affair.

He said: "The Luton players knew nothing about his cut of the transfer fees but, when I left, I had an inkling that he might have been on a percentage.

"I was very surprised when he came out so strongly and said there should be an investigation into transfer dealings. Then it came out that he was on a percentage of transfers and... well, it made him look silly.

"OK, the percentage clause was in his deal, but there is a clear conflict of interest. I still can't believe he had that in his contract. Or that he was allowed a clause like that by the chairman.

"For me, it's clear; what's to stop him selling someone just to line his own pockets? After everything he said about bungs, too. It seems to me like it is a similar kind of payment, only his was legal.

"The club has suffered because on one hand he told supporters that it was taken out of his hands as all the best players were sold off. On the other, he probably wasn't too disappointed about it because, financially, it was good for him.

"It has left a bit of a nasty taste in the mouth for me. I feel sorry for the fans because he had a good relationship with them. They were all for him, even when he was sacked. They were throwing things at the directors when he went. Then, this came out and it all changed.

"I think it's fair to say he'll be lucky to get a similar deal in his next job."

Birmingham's supporters love a trier and Vine is already a favourite at St Andrew's, but after two defeats in a row, the team are under severe pressure to beat Southampton today.

After signing, Vine became a victim of circumstance.

Two postponements to Championship games either side of a 5-1 thumping of Newcastle in the FA Cup meant that Bruce was in no hurry to mix and match his strike-force.

Vine said: "It's been a big change for me. I'm relishing it, though. When I arrived, I was quite surprised at the amount of pressure the fans were putting us under because the team were doing quite well.

"There is a different expectation level here. The fans have had a taste of the Premiership and they want to get back there as quickly as possible.

"I haven't been there yet. But I want to do it with this club. That's what I was bought for and that's my ambition.

"I bumped into Harry Redknapp in hospital when I was having treatment for an injury — I played for him at Portsmouth — and he said he would never have let me go, had he not gone to Southampton. That was nice but I've got my chance here now. Easter was just horrible for everyone. The fact is that it is not in our hands anymore — but only just.

"If we can win our next two games, then the pressure is still right on. There's still a long way to go."