ALAN Sheehan’s agent has responded to comments from Swindon caretaker boss Paul Bodin regarding the defender’s decision to go on trial with Preston today, insisting the move was arranged with the complete knowledge of the club.

The former Leeds full-back, whose contract at Town expires in the summer, was left out of the squad for Saturday’s game against Oldham, with Bodin revealing shortly before kick-off that the 24-year-old was to head north and play in a practice match for the Lilywhites this week.

Sheehan also did not start Paul Hart’s final game in charge of the club at Sheffield Wednesday seven days ago, and the Advertiser understands that the Irishman had reached an appearance limit prior to that game where another start would trigger a bonus payment.

Bodin expressed his disappointment that Sheehan was seemingly looking to engineer a move away from the club just days after relegation to League Two was confirmed, and warned any other of Town’s wantaway players not to expect to be involved against Tranmere on Saturday.

But Sheehan’s agent, Kelvin Gregory, insists the Preston trial was only arranged because they had yet to hear anything regarding a new contract at the County Ground and stressed that his client is more than happy to discuss a new deal with the club, should one be on the table.

“It is 100 per cent not the case (that the move was set up without the club’s knowledge),” Gregory told the Advertiser. “It was in total agreement with Jeremy Wray (Town's interim chairman), who understands the situation and once a new manager is appointed we will sit down and discuss the contract.

“He (Paul Bodin) wished Alan good luck on Saturday for Monday and then when we read the stories on Sunday we could not believe what we saw.

“We initiated this trial because if he was to be left out of the remaining games of the season we wanted him to have the best best chance of earning a new deal. Sheehan certainly means no disrespect to Swindon fans or the club.

“Jeremy (Wray) has been a different class and is fighting tooth and nail to keep the squad together and I cannot praise him enough, but we just want to set the record straight. It is unfair for Alan’s family to read the comments they have about him when they are not true.”