St Kilda president Rod Butterss is suing the club's former coach Grant Thomas for more than $1 million.

Butterss and his company Camora Ridge are suing Thomas and his wife Kerry for $1.14 million plus damages, the Nine Network's AFL Footy Show reported.

The matter relates to what Butterss claims is an unpaid loan used by Thomas to buy a house in 2001, the Footy Show said.

A Supreme Court writ was served last month, with Butterss confirming the legal action was taking place.

"There's been documents lodged with the Supreme Court," Butterss told the Footy Show.

"Sadly I suppose it's one of those situations where there's two parties in dispute.

"That's why we have a court system to sort these things out, so hopefully things get sorted out in the relative near future.

"It's a matter between Rod Butterss and Grant Thomas."

Thomas coached the Saints from mid-2001 until the end of last season.

He was sacked by a Saints' board headed by Butterss days after the club was defeated by Melbourne in an elimination final.

But Butterss said the legal matter should not be interpreted as having any connection to Thomas' sacking.

"They're two very very separate issues," he said.

"Personally I think you'd have to be very very cynical to draw that type of conclusion."

The two men, formerly close friends, have previously admitted that a falling out ended their friendship.

Butterss declined to say what had caused their friendship to disintegrate to the extent that they were now involved in a legal battle.

"I would need a lot of contemplation to answer that," he said.

"It's very sad, disputes occur before parties and sometimes you need to go to the courts to get it settled."

Thomas supplied the Footy Show with a statement in which he said: "It's a legal matter that hopefully will be resolved soon. It would not be fair to either party to make a comment."

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