City boss Peter Taylor has admitted that Neil Lennon's departure to Celtic was a bigger blow to the club than he realised

Although Taylor came in for quite alot of stick from City's fans when Lennon left to join former manager Martin O'Neill at Celtic he admitted that there was little he could do because it was in the clubs best interests for him to leave.

Lennon had not long signed a new £30,000 a week deal when he found himself the subject of transfer talk and told reporters that it was a dream move for him to move to Celtic, a club that he had supported since being a little boy.

After a few weeks of board room wrangling the move eventually came off in a £5 million deal but fans were unhappy that he had been let go and blamed Taylor for what had happened.

Taylor saw it another way though and explained, "Everyone knows how hard I tried to keep him, but it was a unique situation. He had always been a Celtic supporter and wanted to play for them and also had a close relationship with Martin O'Neill.

"The figure of £5million was one he could have gone for this summer anyway, because it was in his contract. I don't think I could have done anymore to keep him."

Taylor though insists that he has learnt the lessons the hard way and that the incident won't happen again with his remaining stars, "It won't happen again. If West Ham want to sign Muzzy Izzet, then no chance. And if someone wants to buy Matt Elliott, no chance. But in Lennon's case it had to be done."

This now leaves Taylor in a very unique position himself. With the reports of West Ham and Celtic being interested in Izzet and Elliott will Taylor find it quite so easy to hang on to his stars as he thinks it is?