Transfer? What transfer? Former Villa man Lee Hendrie bemused over non-league signing
Former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie today claimed he has been victim of a botched transfer after denying he had signed for Devon club Tavistock.
South West Peninsula League outfit Tavistock AFC say they are investigating after they 'signed' Hendrie on March 31.
"It's completely ludicrous. I can't understand where this paperwork's come from," said Hendrie.
Some of the club's players met Hendrie at a five-a-side tournament last month.
"They asked if I'd sign and they'd get me a helicopter to come down and play – it was just a bit of banter really," said the 36-year-old.
"They could end up in trouble because I certainly haven't signed any papers. The only thing I can think of was I was signing autographs and someone's tried to forge my signature."
The South West Peninsula League's transfer deadline was March 31. A form purporting to have come from Hendrie was faxed to the league secretary that evening.
"Lots of clubs sign players to make sure they can get through to the end of the season," said league secretary Phil Hiscox. "Among those faxed across were a couple registering for Tavistock, of which one was Lee Hendrie, matching the date of birth of the Lee Hendrie who played for Villa."
Tavistock chairman Chris Fenner said "A couple of our players took part in a work football tournament in Manchester last month.
"Each team was given an ex-professional. He (Hendrie) wasn't even in their team.
"But in the bar afterwards they bumped into Lee, got chatting, and somehow he said he'd be interested in coming down to Tavistock."
Hendrie left Villa in 2007 and has had spells at Sheffield United, Leicester, Derby, Brighton, Blackpool and Bradford.
He had a spell in Indonesia and returned to England to play non-league with Daventry, Kidderminster, Tamworth, Redditch, Chasetown, Corby, Highgate and Basford United.
