Thomas had previously denied that his tumultuous friendship with Butterss had not been a factor in their professional parting.

But now that Butterss has lodged a writ in the Supreme Court to settle a financial row involving at least $1.14 million, Thomas has admitted that St Kilda's football department had been "significantly" affected by their dispute.

"I would say, unequivocally, that either one of us had to go or we had to sort of be able to address the issue because there's no doubt that it was having a significant affect on the football department and to that end something had to happen," Thomas said on SEN before last night's St Kilda-Carlton clash. "We tried several times but to no avail.

"I don't think anyone can deny that unless you have a strong relationship with the person that makes the decisions that it's not always going to go in your favour. Rod probably has very good reasons as to why he terminated my contract. But I've got no doubt if our relationship was better and our communication was better and everything else, I've go no doubt he probably wouldn't have had that same view.

"He may disagree with that, but that's something perhaps at a point in time we'll be able to debate together." Thomas said he couldn't remember when the pair last spoke.

Seemingly, Thomas and Butterss do not agree on the cause of their dispute. Thomas, speaking to The Age in January, denied that it centred around a loan of more than $1 million that helped him purchase a $2.3 million home in Brighton before he became coach of the Saints.

Thomas instead said the money related to a 2001 business dealing involving a recruitment firm that was owned by Butterss' brother Peter. Revisiting that matter last night, Thomas said: "There's a thousand business deals that go down every day and ours is just one, and there's a lot of history to it, and there's a lot of issues that no one has even touched on, everyone's just looking at the end result.

"That's something that's between us and we'll sort out. Obviously the least it can be spoken about, the least that it can affect St Kilda footy club and we can sort of move on."

Thomas said he was disappointed that Butterss had commented publicly on the matter. "I would like to think that Rod's disappointed as well, but I keep hearing him say that . . . 'it's a very private matter between Grant Thomas and me,' but that's continually said publicly. Obviously he's happy for it to be out there and that's happened on a few occasions."

Butterss used his president's speech at Telstra Dome last night to endorse Thomas's replacement, Ross Lyon. "He's just been a fantastic addition into our club, a man of great integrity and bright, a footy nut," he said.

"I've got to say, in terms of myself and the board, Archie Fraser our chief executive, we just have enormous faith in Rossy Lyon, in Kenny Sheldon and the assistants and in the playing group."