The Peterborough United goalkeeper transfer that was scuppered by the breakdown of a move for Marcus Maddison

Football League Veteran David Stockdale has revealed that he was close to signing for Posh in January 2020 but the deal did not happen due to developments with Marcus Maddison.

At the time, the now 37-year-old Stockdale was out of favour and looking for a way out of Birmingham City in the Championship.

Meanwhile, the club were one of several looking to conclude a deal for wantaway Posh star Marcus Maddison. Director of Football Barry Fry even went as far as encouraging Maddison to move to the Blues.

The club could not agree personal terms with Maddison though and he ended up joining Grant McCann’s Hull on loan until the end of the season.

Speaking on the most recent episode of the popular Undr The Cosh podcast, Stockdale revealed that the failed deal for Maddison ended the possibility of him ending his Birmingham nightmare and joining Posh.

At the time, summer signing Christy Pym was the Posh number one with Connor O’Malley his backup while Aaron Chapman was out on an emergency loan to Tranmere.

Stockdale, who has made 465 career league appearances- including 39 in the Premier League- claimed that Posh were willing to pay £2k a week of his wages; a figure Birmingham were willing to accept on the condition that Maddison moved in the other direction.

He said: “I was actively trying to get out because they didn’t want me but they wouldn’t let me.

“At Christmas, they were trying to sign Marcus Maddison from Peterborough. I spoke to Darragh MacAnthony and he said, we’ll take you in return as part of the deal. It was getting on and later he said ‘it’s just not happening, Marcus isn’t going there and they won’t let us have you. I don’t know what’s going on.’

“So I went to see the CEO and asked him what was going on. He said, I need four grand of your wages paid for if you go anywhere. I said, well you’re not going to get that, Peterborough are only going to pay two and you were happy to do that if you got a player for it.

“It was going back and forth and then Wycombe rang and said they were looking for a keeper. I then went back and said, look there’s no one else, Peterborough have gone and was told no way.”

Stockdale did move on loan Wycombe in that window but only after agreeing to give up £1400 of his wages as Wycombe could only afford £600 a week.

He later signed permanently for Wycombe and played in last year’s League One Play-Off final when the side were beaten by Sunderland.

In the summer, he joined Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer and has appeared 17 times this season. He was in goal when Posh beat Wednesday at home 2-0 in August.

Posh did not go on to sign a goalkeeper in the January window but did bring in Jack Taylor as well as Sammie Szmodics and Reece Brown on loan.

Maddison joined Charlton on a free the following October but is now without a club after having his contract cancelled at National League North Darlington last month.