Marvin Bartley has called out his Queen of the South players professionalism after discovering their mammoth gaming sessions when not at training.

The Doonhamers find themselves third bottom of League One after Saturday's 3-1 home defeat to Kelty Hearts. As one of the division's full-time teams. that's left former Hibs midfielder Bartley under pressure less than midway through his first season as a boss. And he cut an exasperated figure during his post-match club TV interview.

Bartley confessed he's been "protecting" some of his squad for far too long. And he revealed that the number of niggling injuries keeping some guys out of the team lead him to seek expert advice on why it was happening. Bartley was stunned to learn that his stars were playing on games consoles for up to eight hours at a time, rendering his carefully planned training sessions less effective and harming concentration on matchdays.

"I've been there and I've been a professional footballer," he said. "Professional is a very interesting word.

"I've protected people for far too long. Far too long when I'm seeing things happen at points this season. Flatness in games at times and I'm wondering what's going on?

"So much so that I've gone and reviewed every session that we've done since I came to this football club. I understand that people go outside of here but I need them to then be professional in what they're doing because the sessions are set up as if they're going to go and rest. Get their adequate rest and hydration in and eat at the right times.

"But I've got far too many players pulling out through tightness. So it's meant I've had to go outside and look into why this is happening.

"I've said to players if you want to coach, go and do that Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, not in the latter stages of the week. Then I find out players are doing that.

"I find out the players are on their computers for eight hours leading into matches. I've had to go and pay to speak to someone to say this is what's happening to my players. It's only this week they came back with: 'They're gaming.'

"I was like: 'They play games in training,' I thought he meant that but no, they play on their X-Boxes and Playstations. I speak to boys and they're spending, six, seven hours sat in one position, eyes fixed - glued - to a TV.

"Then they're trying to go and play a match the next day. And you're wondering why you can't concentrate? Come on.