Record fee as Bennett finally hits top flight

THERE are mixed emotions at Turner’s Cross today as Cork City rue the loss of a valued player but welcome what is believed to be a record-breaking eircom League fee which, after quite a protracted transfer saga, has finally taken Alan Bennett to Premiership Reading.

Adhering to a confidentiality clause, Cork City would not comment on the details of the deal but is it understood that they will receive around €300,000 for the 25-year-old defender. In a statement last night, the club said that they were sad to lose the player but that his desire to play in the Premiership had been “the pivotal aspect” of the decision to sell him to Reading.

City manager Damien Richardson yesterday described the transfer negotiations as “painfully slow, sometimes cordial and sometimes less than cordial” but paid tribute to the player for the patience and professionalism with which he conducted himself over the past few weeks.