An interview with Steve Tilson had suggested that Blues may have been ready to submit a concrete bid to the Manchester club but, in an interview with the northerner’s official website, www.rochdaleafc.co.uk, the 24-year-old has reiterated his intentions to help ‘Dale win promotion to the third tier of English football themselves.
“I’m very pleased to have signed a new deal and it’s nice to be settled,” he commented. “I’ve seen the reports regarding other clubs and I know bids have come in and like I’ve said on more than one occasion it’s nice that other clubs have shown an interest. But it’s fair play to Rochdale, they didn’t want to sell me, and I’m happy to sign and stay here for the next two years.”
Yeovil Town tabled a bid of £75,000 which was flatly refused by ‘Dale, whilst Swansea City are believed to have offered £130,000 for the 24-goal striker’s services. It is unclear whether the Shrimpers did get near the table with Rochdale, but Holt revealed that he may not have moved in any case. “If the club would have accepted a bid then I suppose I would have had to listen to what they had to say, but it never got that far, and I’m pleased to be here.”
The Lancastrians’ chairman Jim Fagan was less careful with his selection of words to describe the bidding process. “The intensity in which some clubs have chased Grant Holt has been huge,” he roared, “It’s been aggressive at times, but I’m pleased to say we have been strong and resisted good offers from other clubs.”
Steve Tilson, who has returned from a nine-day holiday and fortnight-long management course at Warwick University, has turned his attention to other players. Speaking to the Shrimpers’ official website at www.southendunited,co.uk, he declared, “Now Tes Bramble has gone I have been trying to get a striker in.”
The 38-year-old former Witham Town player continued, “There are three or four names who we are speaking to at this moment in time, hopefully one will develop and we will bring him in. But I am in no rush and these things don’t happen overnight.”
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com