LINCOLN City manager David Holdsworth believes Ipswich Town have signed Scott Loach for a ‘bargain’ fee, with the non-league side missing out on a significant cash windfall as a result.

The Blue Square Premier club will receive 15 per cent of the Watford goalkeeper’s move to Town as part of a sell-on clause which took him to the Hornets in 2006.

The Imps were hoping to bank a six-figure sum from the deal, with the former England Under-21 custodian having been linked with Tottenham not so long ago and tipped to move for at least �1m despite having a year left on his contract.

However, Blues boss Paul Jewell managed to land the boyhood Ipswich Town fan for just �150,000, with new Watford boss Gianfranco Zola keen to bring his own signings into the club.

With Lincoln now set to bank �20,000 as a result, Holdsworth told the Lincolcnshire Echo: “Ipswich have certainly got themselves a bargain, there is no doubt about that.

“I think everybody at the football club was hoping Scott would move for a significant fee.

“I would have put Joe Anyon in that price bracket so it’s certainly a strange one.

“But there is not much we can do about it.

“Whatever the club can give me would certainly be a help, but everyone knows our situation.

“Whatever I get I will be grateful.”