O'Brien deal hits hitch - March 15, 2001
Andy O'Brien's proposed £1.5 move to Newcastle has hit a hitch. Bradford chairman Geoffrey Richmond is apparently insisting on a sell-on clause and that is proving a stumbling block for the Magpies, who had hoped to clinch the deal ahead of today's transfer deadline.
Newcastle have the cash for the Republic of Ireland u21 defender after selling Alain Goma to Fulham - and they need a central defender after offloading Goma and Laurent Charvet. Bradford, in contrast, are Nationwide-bound and need to shed players to trim their wage bill.
Problem is, O'Brien is the jewel in Bradford's crown and one of the few players they don't want to sell. Richmond sees the 21-year-old as the fulcrum of the Bantams' promotion challenge - and O'Brien has the added attraction that he is on relatively low wages.
Newcastle are prepared to bide their time until the summer rather than be panicked into spending more than they want to - and the move may well not now go ahead today.