Warne pays tribute to Kelly but Posh contract was too good to refuse
MK Dons’ Player of the Year made his debut for his new club on Saturday
The contract offer from Peterborough United was simply too good for Liam Kelly to turn down, MK Dons boss Paul Warne admitted.
The 30-year-old made his Posh debut on Saturday in their 2-0 defeat to Bradford City on Saturday, coming off the bench on the hour-mark at Valley Parade just a couple of days removed from his switch from Stadium MK.
Having initially turned down a bid from Luke Williams’ side earlier in the summer, a fresh offer for the midfielder was enough to sway Dons’ Player of the Season to seek a move, something which Warne admitted was the right thing for Kelly to take up.
“It was a good contract, a very good contract that he wanted to take,” he said. “Once he said to me he would like to pursue the move, I couldn’t stand in his way.
“Kells leaves with a heavy heart, he was brilliant for me last year. He goes with our best wishes, and I’ll keep in touch with him. He’s a great kid and he will be sorely missed but that’s football. Especially with promotion seasons, you’ve got to build again and if he felt he wasn’t going to be a part of that, I can understand.”
There were plenty of messages from fans and players alike praising Kelly’s contribution last season, stark contrast to the reaction he had a year prior following a torrid opening campaign after his move from Crawley Town.
Warne continued: “When we came in, it was the opposite - no-one liked him! In fairness, he flipped his career round.
“He played a massive part of that promotion season for I love him for that. But in equal measure, we can’t stand in his way. It was a contract he wanted and he goes with our full respect.”
Less than a day after Kelly’s move, fellow midfielder Will Collar was also confirmed on a season-long loan to Burton Albion.
The midfielder had been missing since Boxing Day when he suffered a hamstring injury, requiring surgery which kept him out for the remainder of the promotion campaign.
Agreeing to allow the former Stockport man out on loan, Warne added: “Will has had a few injury issues for a big part of his time here. He needs to get fit and stay fit but to get game time too.
“Realistically, with the strength in depth we have in midfield now, it would be hard for him to do that. I understand why he would want to go out on loan and to play. And he needs that.”