Peter Reid revealed last night that Scottish international Don Hutchison, who joined West Ham United in a £5.25m deal last week, slapped in a written transfer request despite being promised a contract review on Wearside.

Hutchison, who is sure of a hot reception at the Stadium of Light when he returns with the Hammers on December 1, has angered Wearside fans by jumping ship only a few weeks after indicating he wanted to see out his career at Sunderland - and now saying that the Hammers can finish higher in the table than his old club.

Reid said: "He was one year into a four-year deal and that was on half decent money.

"He was guaranteed, by letter from the chairman, that his contract would be looked at next summer, which I thought was reasonable.

"But Don decided to hand in a written transfer request - that lets the manager know that a player wants to go and that's what happened.

"In an ideal world I would have liked to have kept him. He did a great job here and I wish him all the best at West Ham.

"A month ago he wanted to finish his career with us but he has changed his mind and suffice to say I would not say his representatives are people I would like to go to dinner with."

Reid admits now being left wondering where football will go when new transfer regulations come into operation - and cited new legislation giving players on four-year contracts the right to leave after two years.

He said: "It is going to make it difficult to build football teams

"Managers and coaches want to build teams and have a continuation - and I think supporters want to identify with players at a club. I hope we can keep that in football but I do fear for the future."

He added: "I am a lover of players and I think they should get paid for getting the supporters in to come and watch. But there has got to be a happy balance and I am concerned that the balance is going the other way."

Reid wonders if in the future a market-place situation will develop where clubs will have to trade.

"I am just trying to look ahead. I do think it is going to be difficult but I am hoping it will level itself out."

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