Chairman Geoffrey Richmond launched a blistering verbal attack on Eddie Youds as the Bradford City defender headed for Division One rivals Charlton.

And on a hectic day of transfer activity at Valley Parade, City revealed they had signed Oldham defender Lee Sinnott and Fulham full back Steve McAnespie on loan until the end of the season and allowed winger Peter Beagrie to join Premiership side Everton in a similar deal.

Twenty-seven-year-old Youds has agreed a four-and-a-half year deal with Charlton.

But as he departed Richmond hit out over what he described as the player's "outrageous" financial demands and he stressed that the club would not be dictated to by any player.

"Eddie received an improved two-year contract last summer but his agent contacted us on February 5 to say the player wanted more long term security," said Richmond.

"I said we would be very happy to extend the contract but the financial demands were outrageous. I said we would think about what he had to say, which we did, and we offered an improvement on his existing contract of an average £900 a week increase.

"This worked out at an extra £138,000 over three years. But the agent rejected it out of hand and said we were a million miles apart. He also reminded me that the player would be able to leave on a free transfer in the summer of 1999 under the Bosman Ruling.

"Then on Monday, Charlton came in with an offer of £500,000 and in view of the circumstances we accepted it.

"The player came in to see me on Tuesday and made it clear that he was happy to sit here until the end of next season before leaving which would mean the club would get no transfer fee. He indicated he would not leave unless we paid him a sum of money."

Youds could not be contacted by the Telegraph & Argus today.

But as he departed for London City lined up two new defenders on loan to bolster a squad which also lost Chris Wilder to Sheffield United in a £150,000 deal yesterday.

Sinnott has returned to the club for a third spell from Oldham. And City have also recruited Fulham right back McAnespie. They are expected to play in Saturday's home clash with Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Wilder says the opportunity to re-join his former club Sheffield United was too good to turn down.

He spent six years at Bramall Lane from 1986 before moving to Rotherham Utd and Notts County.

He said: "It all happened on Tuesday afternoon when Paul Jewell rang me to say a fee had been agreed. I enjoyed my time with Bradford I have supported Sheffield United all my life."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.