Gaffer Darren Young claims that the East Fife were snubbed by Kelty Hearts-bound striker Nathan Austin after agreeing a deal.
On the latest edition of the Lower League Football Show for 'The Back Page' podcast, Young claims that Austin had been set to pen a contract and secure a second spell at the League One outfit.
However, at the last moment the deal was derailed by the big-spending Lowland League side.
Having lost out on star player Daryll Meggatt to ambitious junior outfit Darvel already this summer, Young lamented the tough transfer window this summer.
"A lot of these junior teams and Lowland League teams are finding money from places," he told the podcast.
"We've seen that in a few instances. Daryll Meggatt being one. He won the player of the year for us last season, but he got offered a better deal at Darvel.
"From the work side of things as well the deal was too good to turn down. He's getting help from that side of things so it was a no-brainer for him, and I think anyone in his position would have done the same thing. It was working out financially for him.
"Kelty Hearts as well, there is a lot of figures going about. So that's up to them and fair play to them, we thought we had Nathan Austin agreeing to sign with us. Then he didn't agree to sign with us.
"We will just leave it at that. It just kind of changed after agreeing stuff."
Listen to the full show below:
