FORMER Weymouth def-ender Tony James does not expect to see an immediate exodus of players follow him out of the Wessex Stadium.

But he warns time is running out for the club if they hope to retain the bulk of their squad for next season.

The ex-Hereford United skipper has signed a two-year deal with fellow Nationwide Conference Nat-ional outfit Burton Albion but he still hopes the Terras finally resolve their off-the-field problems and go on to enjoy a good campaign in 2007-08.

He said: "With everything that has happened at Weymouth I was looking for something a little more longer and a two-year deal helps a lot.

"It is also part-time and that will give me an opportunity to look to the future and maybe go to college or get another job. In the main it is just a good deal for me and it will be good to spend more time with the kids."

James joined the Terras last summer and after a difficult time with injuries finished the season strong.

He said: "When I first came to Weymouth there was a lot of optimism at the club and we had a good enough team to make the play-offs and maybe get promotion.

"But since Christmas a lot has happened and for a couple of months people have not known where they stood.

"Having a family, I had to make sure I had some security and something to fall back on."

Terras' boss Jason Tindall certainly did not want to lose James, who was very much a part of his plans. The 29-year-old tried to convince the centre-back to stay but was unsuccessful.

James said: "It is disappointing the way things have turned out. Jason wanted me to stay but at the end of the day his hands are tied and he could not offer me any terms at all.

"No one knows whether there is going to be a takeover at the club or not and during the last couple of weeks of the season it did begin to get to the players who want to know what is going on."

When asked whether others will follow him out of the Wessex Stadium, James added: "It may take a few weeks before you see whether other players move on or not because getting another club is not as easy as people think. There are a lot of people out of contract at this time of year and clubs can afford to take their time.

"I hope things get resolved down there sooner rather than later and I hope Jason keeps as many of the lads as possible because then the club will have a better chance of doing well next season."