PHIL Bartlett has hit back in his war of words with Wildcat James Cockle.

The Dorset Echo rider of year contacted Echosport earlier this week, claiming he has not been paid for “three or four meetings”.

However, the club’s outgoing chairman refutes that remark, insisting the final meeting of the season – a 58-36 defeat at Newport on October 24 – is the only time the Weymouth riders have failed to receive their wages.

Bartlett said: “Newport away is the one and only meeting that the riders have not been paid for. The bond in place at the BSPA will more than cover that anyway and that’s what it’s there for.

“The riders have been paid religiously every week, apart from that one meeting. They were always paid at a home meeting for everything they had done up to that night.

“It happened all season, they were paid in cash and no one can dispute that.”

Cockle also accused Bartlett of avoiding numerous phone calls, as well as performing a disappearing act at the club’s end of season presentation, when the riders thought they would be collecting the outstanding money.

Responding to those claims, Bartlett added: “James has never phoned me once, I swear on my life. The only person who has phoned me about this is Gary Cottham senior.

“However, he also stressed how thankful he was that we let his son ride for us this season.

“In regards to disappearing at the presentation evening, that’s just nonsense and was certainly not the case.

“It’s a shame for the riders that they have not been paid for that one meeting but if more people had come through the gates earlier in the season then we would not be in this situation.

“They need to contact the BSPA as the money is there in a bond.”

Earlier this week, the Cats’ Wessex Raceway home was repossessed by Wessex Delivery Partnership LLP – plunging the club’s very existence into serious doubt.