RICHARDSON HITS OUT AFTER NAYSMITH SNUB

COVENTRY CITY chairman Bryan Richardson has hit out at Scottish Premier League side Hearts, over the manner in which Gary Naysmith's proposed transfer to the Sky Blues collapsed last week.

Naysmith is set to complete a £1.75 million move to Everton on Monday, to the annoyance of Coventry, who had thought that they had agreed a deal with the Scottish club.

The Midlands club agreed to pay Hearts an initial £750,000, which would increase depending on appearances, for the young defender, but Everton's eleventh hour bid was enough to snatch the Scotland international from under the noses of Coventry boss Gordon Strachan.

This is not the first time that Coventry have been left disappointed in a move for a player from north of the border, after deals for Neil McCann and Jorg Albertz of Rangers fell through in August, and this latest setback has left Richardson fuming.

"Hearts broke our agreement and I am appalled people can act this way," said the Coventry supremo.