GOAL-DEN BOY MARRIOTT SUCH A COUP FOR FRANK

BARRY FRY has never been one to mince his words.

When asked about Jack Marriott, the latest star to leave the Peterborough money farm, he said: “F*** me, Frank Lampard is the luckiest guy in the country.”

The striker scored 33 goals in all competitions for Peterborough last season and made a move to Derby for an initial £3million this week.

But that is just the start of what Posh could rake in for Marriott.

Fry, the club’s director of football, said: “With everything in, it could be the best deal we have ever done. He will score goals, create goals and help get Derby promotion – it wouldn’t surprise me if he wins the Golden Boot.

“Jack could be the best player we have ever sold.

“He’s got so much pace, so much desire and is a great finisher with either foot. He’s 23 and wants to learn.”

There is a long, long list of players who Fry, 73, has bought and then sold on at an eye-watering profit during his time in his current role.

And he reckons that the deal for Marriott is a life-saver.

The former Birmingham boss (above) said: “Chairman Darragh MacAnthony puts a lot of his own money into the club and I have got to offset the losses by selling players.

“We like young, hungry players who want to listen, who want to learn and who want to play at a higher level than League One.

“They will never be millionaires playing for Posh but they can go on to become millionaires when they move on to bigger things.” Three of Fry’s boys,

Lee Tomlin (Cardiff),

Ryan Bennett (Wolves) and Dwight

Gayle (Newcastle, right), are still on the books of Premier League clubs, while George Boyd, Conor Washington and Aaron McClean all enjoyed good spells at a higher level after leaving Posh. Marriott – who was snapped up from Luton Town little more than a year ago – was suggested to Fry by one of his other success stories, Craig Mackail-Smith (below).

He signed him for £125,000 from Dagenham and Redbridge and sold him, nearly five years later, for £3.5m to Brighton. Speaking about Marriott, Fry said: “I live in Bedford and would go to Luton on a Tuesday night. “I watched him come on as a sub two or three times and he always impressed with his pace and ability to get behind defences.”

Now Fry believes that with add-ons Marriott can bring in even more than the £8m Nottingham Forest eventually forked out for Britt Assombalonga, who less than four years later got a £15m Premier League move to Middlesbrough. He said: “I convince players to come in and tell them we will give them the opportunity to play and to develop themselves and then get more money somewhere else.

“We are a stepping stone.”