THE club has today received a written transfer request from defender Wes Baynes, who still has 18-months of his current contract remaining.

Manager Dean Saunders was both surprised and disappointed by the player's move.

"It's come out of the blue," said the boss.

"I had him in the starting line-up for our last game with Woking, so that tells you I think highly of him.

"If he's not happy here, then we wouldn't want to keep him against his will.

"All players want to be playing more and I understand that, it's just a shame it has come to this."

He has featured 18 times this season, although only played the final game of December following his previous appearance at Stevenage four weeks earlier.

Given his debut in Brian Little's first game, against Chester City in November 2007, Wes played regularly into the New Year, but was then left out until the final five weeks or so of the season and signed off the year with two stunning strikes against Lincoln City.

If any club was interested in taking Wes, we would be looking for a fee, as he has come a long way through our youth system and is under the age of 23.