Williams: I Wanted To Leave In March

Tommy Williams said he wanted to leave the Swans in March after being told a 'massive club' wanted to sign him.

The left sided defender/midfielder was informed that the interested club made two approaches to sign him, in the January transfer window and later in March.

Williams said: "We are talking about a massive club and they came in for me during the transfer window in January,"

"I didn`t know that at the time but then they came in for me again in March and I found out about their earlier interest.

"I didn`t know if Swansea were going to offer me a new contract, so I obviously had to think of myself and my family and told the club I wanted to leave.

"It would have been an exciting move going to such a big club, but there were only six weeks of the season left and Swansea didn`t want to let me go.

"I think Swansea wanted some money for me but I thought it was strange as I wasn`t in the team at the time."

"But I don`t think Swansea were ever going to offer me new terms because they knew I had other irons in the fire.

"I was in and out of Roberto`s office in about two minutes."

Martinez commented on his decision to release both Williams and Oakes, he said: ''Tommy's situation is unfortunate.

'He's had two injuries this season which have held him back a little bit and I know he already has other options.

I do find Martinez's decision strange to play Gueret ahead of Oakes after first arriving at the club. He explained that decision and added: 'I watched him (Oakes) play at Yeovil, then I played Willy Gueret at Rotherham and, based purely on those two games, I went with Willy.

'He deserved to play every game from there on. Now I am releasing Andy because goalkeeper is a department we need to freshen up.'

While it seems many fans were disappointed to see Williams go, I can't blame Martinez at all for his decision. He's been thinking about leaving for the last few months and it's no surprise why he hasn't been a regular in the first team with distractions like that.

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