WOOLERY SWITCH LEAVES WELLENS PUZZLED
SWINDON boss Richie Wellens believes Kaiyne Woolery could live to regret joining League Two side Tranmere, insisting it is the wrong move for the forward.
The 25-year-old, who rejected a new deal with the Robins this summer, scored two goals in 39 appearances in all competitions last season and was the club’s most prolific assist provider.
Wellens revealed he had conversations with Woolery this summer in which he told him that a move to a top League One side was a possibility if he stayed at the County Ground.
Yet Woolery instead opted to drop down a division and while Wellens refused to criticise his character, he is convinced the former Wigan man has made a bad decision.
“We knew that Kaiyne had always had Tranmere in the back of his mind as a possible move, but I’ll only speak highly of him,” said Wellens.
“He was a brilliant kid, I loved him in the changing room last year and he was a big part of what we achieved whenever he played. But I don’t think it’s a great move for him.
“He’s moved down a level and I said to him over the summer, ‘if you reach your peak next season, you’ll be playing against teams like Sunderland and Ipswich’.
“One of these teams might sign you and then all of a sudden, your potential to earn increases massively, so I don’t think it’s a good move for him.”
Wellens has now turned his attention to finding a replacement, with former Plymouth striker Joel Grant, 33, impressing after training with the club all week.
“Ryan Lowe played him as a number nine alongside somebody else at Plymouth last year, but we don’t really see him as a nine,” he explained.
“In terms of being a 10 or a wide man, he would suit our system a little bit more than he would at Plymouth.”