Paper Talk: Lids ready to say goodbye

Last updated : 12 May 2004 By Paul Farrington
The striker won't be accepting the one-year contract on offer at the JJB Stadium and is set to take up a longer deal elsewhere.

He has spoken with a handful of First Division clubs, including Sheffield United and Preston, and the Blades are favourites to land him.

Andy Liddell
Liddell, 30, bid farewell to his Latics team-mates at the training ground yesterday when the squad gathered together for an end of season debriefing.

Also saying their goodbyes were Gareth Farrelly and Peter Kennedy who have been released.

For Liddell, it is the end of a five-and-a-half stay with the club, and he believes his service deserved more than the12-month extension put on the table.

He said: "I have a couple of options I'm looking at, and hopefully I'll have something concrete by the end of the week.

"I would liked to have stayed at Wigan but I just didn't think a year's contract was enough for me.

"It's not a financial thing because I'm not going to get the money I'm being paid at Wigan now – that doesn't interest me.

"But after six years I felt I deserved more than a year – that's the only thing I've disagreed with them about since I came here.

"I'm probably not the first choice now out on the right wing, Gary Teale is, and I'm not a first choice striker.

"I want to play and I think I'm good enough for Division One – I've proved that this year.

"But I've not hard feelings about this, I wouldn't have any hard feelings to anyone at Wigan as I've had such a fantastic time here.

"I've spoken to Sheffield United and Preston, and there are a couple of others too.

"All the clubs involved are in Division One and I'm hoping to stay in this league."

Liddell, a £350,000 signing by Ray Mathias in October 1998, turns 31 at the end of next month.

And he thinks his age has counted against him when it came to the length of contract offered by Latics.

"I wasn't surprised they only offered me a year," confessed Liddell.

"It is well know that once you reach 30 at Wigan, you are over-stepping the mark in certain people's eyes.

"They start wondering whether your fitness is still there, but were you to ask the manager and other players if they think I'm fit, they'd say I'm one of the fittest we've got.

"Being over 30 is irrelevant really and the manager thinks I can play for another four or five years because of my fitness levels and the fact I look after myself."

While Liddell, Farrelly and Kennedy head for the exit door, it remains to be seen what happens with the other players approaching the end of their contracts.

Skipper Jason de Vos could join the list of departures with a number of clubs interested in his services.

But the Canadian has rubbished reports that he is off to play in the United States and still hopes to extend his stay at Wigan.

Matt Jackson, Paul Mitchell, Mike Flynn and Gary Walsh have all been offered contract extensions, either written or verbally, and are set to stay.

Meanwhile, Jewell has brushed off speculation linking him with the manager's job at Leeds.

He said: "I have a good job here, I enjoy it, I'm happy, and until I'm told any different, I will continue to do it.

"I honestly don't think too much about these things.
"When there is no football to write about, people tend to get bored and start to write fictitious stories.

"I suppose it is flattering to be linked with other clubs but I have my job to do here."

* The Wigan Athletic Supporters' Club stage their annual meeting on Thursday, May 27, at the JJB, starting at 8pm.

Source: Wigan Evening Post.

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