Central defender Damien Delaney says he will take his time before finally putting pen to paper on his new Town contract. The Irishman, who is 30 in July, wants to be sure everything is in order with what he expects to be his last big deal.
Delaney said: "I’ll take my time, make sure I’m happy with everything in the contract and then I’ll sign it. I wouldn’t expect there to be any issues, but you still have to be careful because this is an important contract for me.
"Everything seems fine with what the club have put on the table. Hopefully it will all run smoothly because I am very keen to stay. I’m also realistic enough to know that this is going to be my last decent contract.”
The Republic of Ireland international, who is understood to have been offered a two-year deal with the option of a third and will hold talks with the club later this week, says the contract situation with 21 players’ terms coming to an end this summer should never have been allowed to happen.
"It’s lunacy, to be honest,” he said. "It’s crazy that it’s been allowed to come to this at a club at this level, but there are many different factors behind why it has.
"Roy Keane did the job the way he felt was best and this is what we’re left with. Paul Jewell came in and picked up the pieces, but these contracts really should have been sorted out 12 months ago.”
Yesterday, manager Paul Jewell revealed that Delaney’s fellow Irishmen Colin Healy and Brian Murphy will be offered contracts.