Walsall lose key players

[Rich Pullen]

Copied and pasted from the BBC website.

Peterborough snap up Walsall duo  

[Peterborough have signed Walsall midfielder Dean Keates and defender Chris Westwood on three-year contracts.
Keates, 28, was the Saddlers captain and top scorer last season with 13 goals, while Westwood, 30, was a regular starter in central defence.

Manager Darren Ferguson, who played with Westwood at Wolves, told the club's website: "I am delighted to capture Dean and Chris.

"They are both good professionals and good signings for this football club."

Both players were selected in the League Two team of the season, with Keates named Walsall's Player of the Season.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony said: "It's a great compliment they have made my club by signing three-year deals.

"They are both convinced they want to be part of the success that Darren and I want to bring to the club.

"Let's hope we will all be celebrating promotion again as champions."

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Walsall must be gutted with that!

[manc red]

was a bit suprised when i read that earlier, gotta be about money rather than ambition on the players parts.  Good signings for Peterborough though.

[mattboyslim]

You can't help feeling ti could go horribly pair shaped at Posh if the irish chap in charge gets bored? - I'm guessing those new signings are being well paid - they are doing a small scale Leeds and chasing the dream - thus far without sucess - at least it's a step up from signing conference players though!

[FlashGordon]

Im really shocked at this news, keates was player of the season this yr, so wasall must hav wanted to keep him? Extrememly suprised as i thought both would do a good job in league 1?

[Samdy Gray]

That really makes no sense at all.

Peterborough must be offering stupid amounts of money for them two to drop back into League Two.

[ronnie21]

That really makes no sense at all.

Peterborough must be offering stupid amounts of money for them two to drop back into League Two.

They've been throwing cash around last season as well, is there not still a wages cap in that division?

[DV]

£££££££££££

[Batch]

Wasall are a pretty froogle club when it comes to ££££. I remember them bitching about money when we beat them to  Peacocks signing.

Also at one point wasn't James Constable the only player they'd paid a fee for in something like 3 or 4 seaons?

[sonic youth]

nice to see footballer's being amibitious as ever

[tans]

money grabbing cunts  :-))(

[Arriba]

That really makes no sense at all.

Peterborough must be offering stupid amounts of money for them two to drop back into League Two.

agree.sadly money is the main motivator of players it seems

[DV]

their agents have come out today and said that they HAVENT signed for the post

[Give us an S]

I can see arguments for and against this. On one hand surely they would want to play at a higher level and not be money grabbing cunts. But i saw this on a Walsall fans site and you can see the players point of view as well............

Just to repeat what I have posted on t'other channel:-

"It amuses me when people criticise players' lack of loyalty. There is no reason why they should be any more loyal to their employers than anyone else. Their contracts expire on June 30th and, as such, are perfectly entitled to seek what, in their opinions, are the best jobs - just like the rest of us. Deano is 28 and Westy is 30. Both have families to support and, I expect, mortgages to pay.

Undying loyalty to a club is for mugs like us - the supporters, not the players. As schoolboys, Deano was a ManUre fan and Westy was a Dingle, so no particular affection for the Saddlers there. If the rumours are true and they have each been offered three-year contracts on £3k per week and a club house (plus, no doubt, relocation expenses) then who can blame them? We certainly can't afford that because others in the squad would want the same, if not more (and would deserve it more).

If you were offered the chance to do the same job as you do at present, with three times the job security and three times the salary, would you turn down the offer? I very much doubt it. I certainly wouldn't! Players are employees, not fans. Do you feel undying loyalty to YOUR employer? You must be in a very good job if you do.

Good luck to the pair of them. I hope it works out well. We must now see what quality of replacements DD and STM come up with. I'm still not 100% convinced that they were desperate for Deano and Westy to stay, preferring instead to free up their positions and wages for other players."

[reeves4england]

Amazed that they would drop a division, especially to Posh who seem to be spending loads of money to no avail.

Money has to be the only motive

[Simon Pieman]

their agents have come out today and said that they HAVENT signed for the post

I hope Pat didn't leave it on the doorstep if it had to be signed for