FORMER Yorkshire skipper David Byas and fast bowling legend Fred Trueman have blasted troubled star Darren Gough.

The England pace ace has been given seven days by the county to decide whether he wants to leave or fulfil the remaining year of his contract after complaining that poison pen letters and antipathy from committee members were getting under his skin.

County club members are strongly divided over whether they Gough to stay with his native county or be allowed to quit if he wishes.

But Trueman, said that he "could not care less" what Gough decided to do.

"Never have I seen so little talent peddled so far," said Trueman.

"He only played in a couple of Championship games for Yorkshire last season, picking up seven or eight wickets. He can do what he wants, I am not interested."

Gough, who claims he is fed-up of being stabbed in the back by certain Yorkshire committee members, is expected to tell the club over the next few days that he wants to move on.

Byas believes Gough is "not worth bothering with" as his future with the county looks increasingly uncertain.

Byas, who announced his retirement following Yorkshire's first county championship title for 33 years in the summer, is convinced the county can get along just fine without the pace bowler, who played only two matches in the title-winning campaign.

But Byas told the Daily Telegraph: "Complaints about committee men not liking you and nasty letters are nothing fresh.

"I had it for six years. In my view it's a cop-out because he's had a benefit, banked the cheque and is now off to pastures new. I've no sympathy for him.

"Basically, he's not worth bothering with because Yorkshire won the title without him. He played in two games and made little contribution with the ball."

In Gough's autobiography, published earlier this year, he was critical of Byas, who has now returned to farming at Kilham, near Driffield, in East Yorkshire.

Gough has not been offered a contract extension by Yorkshire, but the official line from the club is that he is still very much a part of their plans for the coming season.

Yorkshire chief executive Chris Hassell said: "I'm very hopeful that he's going to be staying with us. We have spoken to him to reassure him we want him to stay.

"It's been unhelpful but he's assured us he wants to stay and finish his career with Yorkshire.

"All these abusive e-mails and letters that have come about over the year have been causing him some distress.

"But he's still highly regarded by everyone in the dressing room, the members and the academy of course as one of its original star members."

Ralph Patterson, a Yorkshire member from Baildon, near Bradford.

"If Gough wants to go - and I am darned certain he does - then Yorkshire should let him," he said.

"He only played in a couple of Championship matches last season so we are hardly going to miss him."

Updated: 11:20 Tuesday, November 13, 2001