GEOFF Butler has been left frustrated after another 'quality' player last night snubbed a move to the Wessex Stadium.

The Terras boss had hoped to sign Stuart James, after the Bournemouth-based student was released by Newport County, earlier in the week.

But after being told how much money he'd be earning at Weymouth, the 27-year-old midfielder opted to return to his former club Bath City, instead.

A disappointed Butler said: "It's another big kick in the teeth for the club because decent players like Stuart James don't become available every day.

"The lad's doing a college course down in Bournemouth and he just found the travelling to Newport too much.

"They play a lot of their midweek games on a Monday which clashes with his

studies and so the two have decided to part company on a mutual basis.

"There were a number of clubs after him, including ourselves, Bashley, Chippenham and Bath although, geographically, we were the biggest and best option for him."

He added: "I had a long chat with him yesterday and was confident that he'd be joining us, right up to the point when we started to discuss figures. That then became the major stumbling block and in the end he decided he'd be better off going to Bath.

"A couple of weeks ago we suffered the same fate when I tried to bring in Carl Heggs from Forest Green Rovers and it's another example of the fact that Weymouth just can't compete when it comes to attracting quality players to the club.

"But it's something we just have to live with at the moment and fans have to be patient and understand that the financial restraints are such that we can't afford to pay players £300 or £400 a week anymore."

Bristol-born James joined Newport from Bath in the summer of 2000 after making more than 200 appearances at Twerton Park.

Originally with Swindon on YTS and first year professional forms, he has been a regular in County's Dr Martens Premier Division line-up.