The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
‘Darragh was like a dog chasing a bone’
Posh co-owner Darragh MacAnthony’s relentless pursuit of Sammie Szmodics paid off in the end.
MacAnthony was praised by manager Darren Ferguson andownership partner DrJason Neale for persuading the 24 year-old to drop down a division and return to the Weston Homes Stadium despite interest from well-supported LeagueOnerivalsPortsmouth and Sunderland.
MacAnthony persuaded Szmodics he could fulfil his ambition of Championship football with Posh after starting just one second tier game for Bristol City in his year at Ashton Gate.
Fergusonsaid: “It has been a relentless effort from Darragh to get this done so you have to say well done to him for going that extra mile to get this over the line on a permanent basis.
“In the last week things accelerated in thesenseSammie probably realised he wasn’t going to get the game time at Bristol City and Darragh was just so determined to get it over the line. He worked very hard and wouldn’t let go until he got the deal done.
“It’s important to me that Sammie came here on a permanent basis. He committed to us because he believes we can deliver Championship football.
“It is a really big signing for us. I know there was interest from several clubs in our league, but he always said if he was going to sign for a club in League One, it would be us, and credit to him because he has stuck to his word.
“The boy was adamant he wanted to come here, and I am really looking forward to working with him again. We will assess him fitness wise, but it is just great to get him back in the building.”
Posh had long been interested in re-signing Szmodics andfirstmadeabidacoupleof days afterstriker Ivan Toney’s multi-million pound transfer to Brentford was completed last week.
That bid was rejected, but animprovedoffer, believed to be close to £1 million, was accepted over the weekend.
That news came as a bitter blow to Portsmouth in particular who thought they could land Szmodics in a loan deal, but Posh’s financial power blew them out of the water.
Striker Jonson ClarkeHarris also joined Posh this summer from Bristol Rovers for a seven-figure fee.
Dr Neale said: “Darragh gets all the credit for Sammie’s transfer. He was like a dog chasing a bone. He never gave up.”
MacAnthony was more modest. “I have the best partners in the league,” he said.
“WithoutStewartThompson and Jason Neale this recruitment doesn’t happen.”