Carlo Nash Position Goalkeeper DOB 13/09/1973 P.O.B. Bolton Height 6' 05" Club Preston Nation England

Paul Simpson has blamed a rogue football agent for sparking his highly-publicised bust-up with Carlo Nash. The Preston North End boss has accused the unnamed go-between – not the keeper's official representative – of unsettling the 33-year-old over a move to Fulham in January.

Simpson says Nash was 'given false information' about the Londoners' interest in him.

And he alleged the lies caused the player to 'get excited' and go public over his desire to leave Deepdale.

"What happened with Carlo was very disappointing," said Simpson, who put Nash on the transfer list at the end of the season after claiming he had burnt his bridges at the club.

"Looking back I don't think it was necessary to do what was done. Every footballer wants to go and play at the highest level. Everyone has personal issues that they have to deal with.

"But if they come to speak to people quietly it all gets done in-house and you don't have a big national scandal going on.

"Unfortunately a big scandal came about because Carlo Nash had been given false information by whoever.

"I don't actually believe it was his own agent who had given him the false information. I am not accusing him.

"But I think Carlo was given false information by some other agent and he got excited over it."

Nash was put up for sale after North End's failure to make the play-offs on May 6.

Some fans have even suggested his fall-out with Simpson, which led to him being dropped from the side for the last three months of the season, was instrumental in Preston's nosedive from automatic promotion contenders to also-rans.

Nash, who set a new club record for clean sheets in the league with 24 in the 2005/06 season, made his public outburst in late January after North End turned down a £500,000 bid from Fulham.

The former Manchester City and Middlesbrough keeper claimed he wanted the move to London to be near his fiancee Jill – the couple are getting married in Italy this summer.

"I'm struggling not being with her," he told the Evening Post after admitting he was 'very unhappy'.

"You don't get the best out of players when they are unhappy and it has been a real struggle for me. At 33 this is a great opportunity for me professionally and I hope the club won't stand in my way."

But North End refused to play cupid and threw out the Fulham offer, claiming it was not enough.

Simpson admits putting Nash on the list was one of the toughest decisions he has had to make as a manager.

"I still believe he has tremendous ability," he said. "I think he is a fantastic goalkeeper.

"But, in my opinion, he has burnt his bridges because of what he did. I have explained that to Carlo. I have to do what I think is right for the while of the club. I felt that to keep him here and to involve him in first team football would send the wrong signals to the rest of the squad.

"It pains me to do it, but I had to put him on the list."

Shaw told the club's official website: "The Lancashire Evening Post got it wrong. This club has never rejected a bid of £500,000 for Carlo Nash and it is important that the fans know that.

"Fulham never made a bid of £500,000 for Carlo. They came in with a deal which amounted to £150,000 up front and then £150,000 over a very long period of games."