Wigan Athletic managing director talks Sam Tickle sale, and the budget ramifications
Wigan Athletic managing director Sarah Guilfoyle has spoken of the long-term outlook that led to Sam Tickle’s inevitable sale this summer – and pledged the money from his sale will go into Gary Caldwell’s budget.
Latics finally cashed in on their prize asset last month, with Championship outfit Bristol City winning the race for his signature.
Ms Guilfoyle insisted it was ‘the right time’ for Tickle and Latics to part company – and says the club will benefit from the deal both this summer and beyond.
"We sat down with Sam this time last year and essentially said to him ‘look, we understand where you are...give us another year, and we won't stand in your way’,” she said.
"It's definitely the right time for Sam, and it's definitely the right time for the club. We got a deal we were happy with - both in terms of what that does for us financially now, but also looking after the future in terms of sell-on fee.
"For him as a person as well, it was just the right time for it to happen. It would have been wrong to stand in his way. "I don't know if it's something Sam would openly say, but I definitely feel like he's had to be really patient. You look at the players he came through the ranks with, and almost all of them moved on before him. "Sam’s been extremely level-headed throughout the whole time, very positive, very patient. There's been none of that FOMO (fear of missing out), in case the move didn't happen.
"He's just one of the most wonderful people you'll ever meet, the kind you can't help but wish well, because he's such a lovely lad.
"I think as much as anything, it was important for the move to be right for him. It wouldn't have been right for him to go straight to the Premier League to sit on the bench, he needs to be playing games right now.
"The perfect scenario would have been to have got back up to the Championship during his tenure...hitting that level with us was what we all hoped would happen.
"But it got to the point where Sam was outgrowing where we are at the moment, and it was important for him to take that next step.”
While obviously disappointed to lose his No.1, boss Gary Caldwell will be armed with the proceeds from his sale. to bolster his squad
"All of that will be going back into the budget, as Gary alluded to on fixture release day,” added Ms Guilfoyle. "And it's important for supporters to know we fought a hard bargain during the negotiations.
"We had leverage in terms of the length left on Sam's contract, not to mention his standing as one of the best goalkeepers in League One, if not the best.
"What we set out for - the expectations we had internally - we got that, including the instalments and the sell-on that we expected to receive, which are very achievable.
"I just think it was one of those deals where it suits all parties. That doesn't mean it wasn't really sad to see him go, because we all love him to death.
"But it would have been wrong to keep hold of him for that reason."