The Missing Link

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 27/10/2009

TOWN Chairman John Fenty has denied that there was a link between manager Mike Newell departing and the sale of captain Ryan Bennett to Peterborough. Many fans had surmised that as the two events had happened contemporaneously then they were connected.

However Mr Fenty told the Grimsby Telegraph that it is not the case.

"Ryan leaving is absolutely nothing to do with Mike Newell's departure," said Fenty.

The circumstances leading up to Newell's dismissal have never been made public, other than that there was some sort of disagreement on the evening after the defeat to Rochdale.

Fenty went on to say that the sale of Bennett (around half a million spread over several years) would not be used to fund players, and that funds would have been available to either Newell or his successor.

"It's not a case of whatever we get for Ryan influences what we give the manager - the two are not related because we always provide help for our managers.

"Financial support will be there for the new manager whether Ryan left or not."

The Town chairman also indicated that it was Bennett's choice as to whether he signed for Posh. The club would have been happy for him to stay at Blundell Park if that was his wish.

"I listened to what Peterborough had to say and then we worked up a deal between the two clubs and left it down to Ryan.

"If he didn't want to go, he didn't have to - we weren't pushing him out.

"We think an awful lot of Ryan - we wouldn't have given him a four-year contract if that wasn't the case.

"But there's no point in keeping a player that has had his head turned."

Grim Rob Says At least we know more about why Mike Newell didn't leave. But it's all water under the bridge now (other than any compensation owing to Mike Newell). Money clearly needs to be made available both to pay for a new manager and to make new signings, including a replacement for Ryan Bennett. It's hard to believe that the Bennett money will not make a difference as to what is available, but it certainly makes more sense to spread the club's assets over several individuals rather than putting all your eggs in one basket.

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