REDDITCH chairman Chris Swan has hit back at Swindon Town chairman Lee Power’s suggestion that the non-league club were offered a pre-season friendly in exchange for Jemaine Hylton.

Hylton’s signature was confirmed by Power in his Q&A on BBC Radio Wiltshire on Wednesday. The chairman was also asked if the he had offered the Southern League club a friendly for the services of the striker. Power said he had but that had been rejected and Redditch had also declined to waive the mandatory seven-day approach, usually a formality in that situation.

Hylton did not have a contract at Redditch but the club were in talks with a number of clubs, including Birmingham City and Fleetwood, about a possible sell-on clause for the young striker.

Swan refuted Power's claims that there was an offer of a pre-season friendly and the Redditch chairman is clearly upset that he will now get nothing for their former star.

He told the Redditch Advertiser: “We tried to speak with Swindon when they submitted the seven-day approach on New Year's Day.

"I must say, all the clubs we were talking to were brilliant but it only takes one club to undermine our efforts.

"What Swindon have done is disrespectful and we're awaiting the FA's verdict."

Swan also revealed that Redditch United will have to look at offering their star players contracts after Hylton’s deal demonstrated the lack of security with their current model.

"We're going to have to look at offering players contracts again,” he added.

"The problem arises if a player suffers an injury and is out for a long period.

"We had Jermaine at Redditch for a long while and maybe we should have put him on a deal."