JON MACKEN has spoken of his delight at joining Premiership-bound Manchester City in a deal which should net North End £4million.

But North End's acting chairman Derek Shaw has been forced to explain why he initally denied any approach from City on Monday - even though the club revealed just hours later it was Kevin Keegan's third attempt to snare Macken.

Macken sat on the bench for City's midweek clash against Birmingham - the second time he has watched the St Andrew's Park outfit in three days!

And he said: "My main thing to get into the team and form relationships with the other player and then to do well. Everyone knows about the strikers here because they have been doing so well so hopefully I can learn from them.

"A lot of my family and friends are Manchester City fans, real Blues so it is a dream come true for me. It certainly means a lot to me to have the number eight shirt which of course was Colin Bell's squad number."

"I feel I have the potential to improve under Kevin Keegan."

Derek Shaw, meanwhile, has denied deceiving fans by first denying a bid had been made.

Speaking to the club's website on Tuesday, he said: "I was shocked that the media had got word of the deal and I had to deny it. This was not done in any way to deceive our supporters.

"This is the way we like to do things. We only like to deal in the facts. That is the reason we had to deny the move on Monday morning."

He was unavailable for comment today on whether he regretted the way the deal was handled.

On the website he said that getting £5million for Macken was 'good business' for the club.