GILLINGHAM have lost the fight to keep Simon Osborn who joined Walsall today on a two-year contract.

The news left Gills fans confused after club chairman Paul Scally announced at the weekend that the 31-year-old was staying at Priestfield having agreed terms for a new two-year deal with an option for a further 12 months.

Mr Scally said at the time: “He is a lovely lad and we are all pleased he is remaining with us.” But he changed his opinion today when he said: “We shook hands on it. We were well apart on terms at the start of our negotiations, but we gradually came together and in the end I agreed to go the extra bit to accommodate Simon’s needs.

“Obviously a gentlemen’s agreement is not what it used to be. “ don’t think the conduct of an agent helped. Simon is not the person I thought he was.”

It was revealed today that Osborn had not put pen to paper at Priestfield and accepted a better deal at Walsall where manager Colin Lee welcomed the player in what was a reunion for an old friend who had played for him at Reading and Wolves.

Osborn said: “While I am sad to be leaving many friends behind at Gillingham, I am delighted to be joining Walsall. Joining up with former Wolves team-mates such as Darren Bazeley, Neil Emblen and Steve Corica will make it easy for me to settle in. And, of course, I have played for the manager Colin Lee at Reading and Wolves.”