ACCRINGTON Stanley chairman Eric Whalley has admitted that they may have to let Paul Mullin leave if any club improves on the £50,000 bid Rochdale had turned down last week.

Cash-strapped Stanley accepted a £75,000 bid from Shrewsbury for their star striker in January, only for Mullin to declare that he wanted to ended his career at the Fraser Eagle Stadium.

The 34-year-old signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal weeks later and, after making his 100th Football League appearance for Stanley recently, suggested that he hoped to reach the double century with the Reds.

But Mullin’s record of 30 goals in 103 Football League appearances has attracted the interest of fellow League Two club Rochdale, who made their move last week.

Stanley boss John Coleman is keen to keep his vice captain, though, and the £50,000 offer was dismissed out of hand before the striker had been consulted.

It is not yet known whether Rochdale will increase their bid but Stanley chairman Eric Whalley said: “They enquired about him but that’s as far as it went.

“There was no deal for the amount they offered, although I was amazed they offered that much for a 34-year-old.

“It’s late in his career and he’s only a year into a two-and-a-half year contract, so he’ll be staying unless a side come in with a better offer.

“But everyone is for sale at the right price. I’d sell the whole team if I could!

“With my chairman’s hat on I’d take the money, but from a football point of view Paul is a leader and he’s very popular here.”

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