FORMER Wanderers midfielder Karl Henry has come to the defence of Luca Connell’s decision to force a move away from Wanderers.

Responding to criticism of the teenager, the 36-year-old former Wolves man appealed for supporters to understand why Connell had looked to leave the club and seize a chance to join the SPL champions.

Wanderers’ administrators turned down Connell’s request to serve a 14-day notice on the last 12 months of his scholarship contract.

But less than 24 hours later they were forced to relent and accept what is understood to be a ‘generous’ fee for his training since the age of nine.

Writing on his official Twitter account, Henry said: “Listen, I understand you being disappointed, but you have to understand that football is a very short career.

“This Celtic opportunity might not be there next season, next month or even next week. To top it all off, he’s not even being paid by Bolton.

“A move to Celtic would be life-changing. Why should he risk losing that move? He gets one shot at a football career and though it’s not nice to hear, the reality is, he owes Bolton nothing. Celtic are also running a ‘business’. They owe Bolton nothing.

“Very few football clubs are loyal to players who they no longer want - regardless of what that player has done for them in the past. In fact, when clubs want to get rid of players, they usually try and force them out by breaking them mentally. Seen it, lived it. It happens.

“My point is this: Don’t be too harsh on players looking to progress in their careers. Ambition doesn’t make someone a bad person. All to often in football, players who go on to bigger clubs, become the enemy of their former clubs. Why?”