Defender David Buchanan was offered a new contract at Gigg Lane at the end of last season, but so far Alan Knill has grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of dialogue with the player.  This afternoon we caught up with the gaffer regarding the now out of contract defender.

"It's a really difficult situation, we have constantly tried to get in touch with David but have had nothing back.  A week ago I had a phone call from an agent representing David saying this and that, and then yesterday (Wednesday), David himself walked into the club.  We are all disappointed with the whole thing."

"It doesn't matter which players are involved, we have always had dialogue over the summer - but we have had no dialogue with David.  All I can say is that we have tried our best, and subsequently I have had no choice but to go out and sign a left back."

"I offered David a contract, and then we made him another offer at the end of May.  He asked me what was the best we could do for him, so I told him and the last words from him on the phone were ok.  I expected him to come in to sign the contract after that, but obviously that wasn't to be.  We've tried to get in touch with him for a whole month but there has been no communication with him whatsoever."

"I have to look after the squad and the football club.  We lost Tom Newey, but he phoned me and told me about the offer he'd had from Rotherham, which was fair enough.  It was good for him and we can't get near the offer he had been given.  I've had no contact with David so I had no choice but to go and sign a left back - then yesterday he turns up."

"The players are back for pre-season training today, but David isn't because we are deciding what we are going to do with him.  At the moment he is out of contract and unemployed.  He had to reply to a letter that we sent him, but he never replied.  It's difficult because he is somebody that I like.  All we asked was for him to pick up a phone.  We chased him but then I thought - why are we chasing?  There are plenty of players out there.  We have to come to a decision and I don't think I am left with any choice.  I talked to the directors last night about it and I have to say that it is going to be difficult for David to come back in here."

"It's ridiculous, it only takes a phone call but we haven't had any - so I had to go out and sign a left back.  Joe Skarz is young and ambitious and he asked me if he was going to be playing, he had plenty of other offers.  I told him yes, he would be playing.  That's where we are at and we will make a decision today as to where we are going to go with David Buchanan."

"The players were given 28 days to reply to the offer.  Everyone else did that.  I spoke to him at the end of May and he asked what the best he could get was and I told him.  Originally we offered him a year then changed it to two years and the last thing he said to me was ok, so I am assuming he is coming in.  We've had no contact with him from then until he walked into the club on Wednesday.  There has been nothing in between.  I've tried, Chris Brass has tried and Jill Neville has tried.  I asked Jill to get the contract ready because he is coming in - but nothing."

"It's pretty poor and I don't know what else we can do because we have to do something.  An agent phoned me last week, but I had already done the deal for Joe Skarz.I told him that we had already agreed with a player and that we couldn't see any turning back.  He then phoned me again.  We've tried and every other player that was offered contracts - we've had communication with.  There's always been dialogue with every one of them, but with David, there hasn't been any."

"We've been forced into a corner where we didn't know if we had a left back or not, so the only alternative we had was to go and get one.  Obviously we are under budget restraints here, David has walked in and said that he is ready to sign it but I am not sure that money is there anymore."

"I'm all for players trying to get the best for themselves and their family, I'm all for them trying to get better deals - that's life, that's how it is but you have to talk to people and let them know out of courtesy.  Unfortunately we've been forced into a corner with nothing else left to do.  I'm disappointed."

"He has done really well for me since I came here, but at the end of the day, no player, manager or anyone is bigger than the football club, also nobody is irreplaceable - nobody.  We will discuss the situation later but I do not like being held to ransom - either you want to play for me and this club - or you don't.  If you do, then you pick up the phone and tell me.  If you don't, you do what he has done and wait and wait to edge your bets."

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