FORMER West Bromwich Albion academy ace Alex Bradley explained why his move to Burton Albion fell through after turning down their initial offer.

The 20-year-old from Colwall joined the League One outfit in January on loan until the end of the season with a view to signing a permanent deal this summer.

Worcester-born Bradley made seven appearances off the bench, scoring his first goal in professional football in the final-day defeat at Peterborough United.

His performance led to high praise from manager Nigel Clough who then tabled a bid for the attacking midfielder.

But the ex-Royal Grammar School Worcester student, who was let go by West Brom in May, said he was unhappy with the salary offered and continued to look for pastures new.

“The (loan) move was a chance for Burton to see what I was like for next season in terms of coming in on a permanent basis,” Bradley said.

BRADLEY: I AM GLAD I AM OUT OF THERE

“I signed on loan until the end of the season and came off the bench seven times.

“I did really well, scored my first Football League goal in the last game against Peterborough and Burton did offer me a contract.

“It was fine but it wasn’t on terms that I was happy with.

“I can understand why Burton brushed it aside once we went back with another offer.

“Burton had done me a favour in January.

“They looked at it like ‘We did you a favour, we have offered you a contract so sign it or don’t sign it, there’s no negotiation'.

“I can understand that. But football is a job at the end of the day.

“I am still young and don’t care about the money just yet as that will come later as I want to be playing football.

“But you have got to earn enough to get by.

“I could have made do with what they offered me but it was less than what I was on at West Brom so I was not prepared to do that.

“That is what happened there.

“We went back with another offer and Burton said they would consider it but came back and said they were going to knock it on the head and it all fell through.”