Northwich Victoria owner Jim Rushe says he knows nothing of bid for captain (From Northwich Guardian)

Northwich Victoria owner Jim Rushe says he knows nothing of bid for captain

10:40am Tuesday 8th December 2009

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NORTHWICH Victoria say they know nothing of Fleetwood Town’s reported bid for captain Simon Grand.

Owner Jim Rushe told the Guardian this morning, Tuesday, that he nor manager Andy Preece had spoken to anybody from their Blue Square North rivals.

“The first we knew about it was reading your website,” said Rushe.

“I can categorically say we have received no bid whatsoever for any some of money for Simon Grand. Where have they sent it? Who have they sent it to?

“It’s embarrassing to say the least that they have not checked to see if we have received their offer before telling their fans and then the press about it.”

The Fishermen issued a brief statement on their official website last night, Monday, claiming to have tabled a ‘significant, five-figures bid’ for the 25-year-old stopper.

They even included a picture of Grand shaking hands with defender Michael Taylor before last month’s FA Trophy third qualifying round date at Highbury between the two teams.

The note includes the following comment from a club spokesman: “We have contacted Northwich Victoria and are awaiting a response.”

The confusion marks the latest episode of transfer tangling between the two clubs following winger Jamie Mullan’s move to Lancashire in the summer.

An FA tribunal will decide how much Fleetwood will have to pay for the former Manchester United trainee’s services after the two clubs could not agree a fee.

No date has yet been set for a hearing.

Grand has made 60 starts in league and cup for Northwich since signing as a free agent last September, taking over as captain in the second half of last season.

He stayed loyal to the club in the close season after an approach from Fleetwood but, as a full-time employee and one of Vics’ highest earners, he is the Wincham outfit’s most saleable asset in the wake of Rushe’s announcement on Monday that Northwich need to trim their weekly wage bill.

Rushe added: “We’ll take a professional approach in our transfer dealings. That means looking at whether any proposed deal is right for us and also for the player involved.

“Until such offers are made there’s not a lot I can say.”

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