Ian Westlake has gone to Cheltenham Town on loan, as the two clubs have finally agreed terms.
25 year-old Westlake spent last week training with the Gloucestershire club, and even played in a reserve game. Cheltenham boss Martin Allen said he was impressed with the player, but then we heard that the two clubs had failed to agree terms for a loan deal, presumably over the portion of his wages that Cheltenham would be paying.
But today it was announced that the clubs had managed to do a deal after all, and Westy will stay at Whaddon Road until December, though under league regulations he won’t be able to face Leeds in the game at Cheltenham on November 1st.
It’s no surprise that Westlake has moved elsewhere, and we can probably expect he will be leaving the club on a permanent basis when the transfer window opens in the new year. He hasn’t made a first team appearance under Gary Mc.Allister, having been kept out of the side following the glut of midfield players signed by Wise last January and the emergence of Delph and Howson.
He did make a few telling contributions at the start of last season, with his fine volley to settle the League Cup tie at Macclesfield and his dramatic injury time winner at Oldham, but even then he never really managed to establish himself in the Leeds side.
Anyway, he moves on with our best wishes.