Athletic reject Taylor moves

JOHN THOMPSON (rear): Agreed a severance package with Athletic.

ATHLETIC have rejected bids for Chris Taylor, managing director Simon Corney has revealed.

But the 22-year-old winger, one of the hottest properties in Coca-Cola League One, won’t be leaving Boundary Park on the cheap, according to the Athletic chief.

Mr Corney, who has confirmed approaches have been made for Taylor, said: “There has been interest in Chris, but the money we are being asked to sell at does not match our valuation of the player so there is nothing happening.

“Clubs don’t have the money to spend as football is going through a tough time like everyone else.”

Taylor, who has scored eight goals this season, has a legion of admirers and has previously been linked with Blackpool, Doncaster and Leeds United, but other bigger clubs are understood to have made inquiries.

Mr Corney added that Athletic can only wait and see whether striker Lee Hughes stays after he has been offered a new two-year contract which would make him the highest-paid player at the club.

Doncaster have declared an interest, but the £400,000 buy-out clause in the contract of Hughes is deterring a bid.

John Thompson’s unhappy spell at Boundary Park is over after Athletic yesterday paid off the remaining six months of his contract.

The 27-year-old defender returned from a three-month loan spell at Notts County and was offered a severance package by Athletic’s owners.

It brings to a close a miserable chapter in the career of the Republic of Ireland international, who joined Athletic in the summer of 2007 on a free transfer from Nottingham Forest.

Thompson’s time with Athletic has been badly disrupted through injury and, when he has been available, he has struggled to find the form which made him a favourite at Forest.

Indeed, in one-and-a-half seasons at Boundary Park, Thompson managed only nine starts and made a further two substitute appearances.

The departure of Thompson provides another piece in the jigsaw as the January transfer window unfolds.

Athletic have already loaned Chris O’Grady to Bradford City for the next month as they bid to find the resources to enable manager John Sheridan to strengthen his promotion-chasing squad.