was on £1,500 a week and commented "[new signings were] on twice the wages I was being paid and I had seen the lifestyles they were enjoying". Primus was promised an improved contract, however no such contract was given to him over the summer. By popular demand, manager Tommy Burns was replaced by Alan Pardew. Fitness problems prevented Primus from getting much first team football at the start of the 1999–2000 season until a change of diet helped him regain stamina. As the season progressed, the club offered Primus a new contract which he dismissed as "derisory" saying the club was "taking advantage of [his] good nature". At the end of the season, Primus was free to leave under the Bosman ruling and received an offer from Luton Town which he accepted. Lennie Lawrence, the manager who bidded for Primus was sacked soon afterwards, however, and the deal was cancelled to the dismay of Primus who said he felt as if "[his] whole world had collapsed". In the aftermath, Pardew put him in contact with Portsmouth manager Tony Pulis and a trial was agreed. Portsmouth After friendly matches with Dorchester Town and Exeter City, Primus signed a contract with Portsmouth although he was disappointed with the low wages in comparison to other players. He did not get his Portsmouth career off to a good start, scoring an own goal on his debut away at Sheffield United. Pulis was sacked early on in the 2000–01 season after a poor start and was replaced by fans' favourite Steve Claridge. Portsmouth were still near the relegation zone after a poor run of form that also saw Primus being sent off for the first time in his career for a foul on Fulham's Louis Saha. Gilmore's groin ruled him out of action for five months from November of that season, during which Claridge was replaced by Graham Rix, this was after Primus formed a partnership with Jamaican international Darren Moore. After a defeat to Crystal Palace (which Primus described as the "lowest point of [his] career"), Portsmouth needed a victory over Barnsley to stay in Division One and they duly won 3–0 with Huddersfield being relegated after their final day defeat. After the conclusion of the season, Primus fell out with Rix as he was unsure about whether Rix thought he had a future at the club. The next season started with the death