STUART Beavon might not have been in the right frame of mind to play for Wanderers had a deal to sell him to Preston fallen through, believes Blues boss Gary Waddock.

The protracted transfer deal finally reached a conclusion with minutes to go before Friday night's 11pm deadline as last season’s 25 goal top scorer went to Deepdale for an undisclosed fee.

Beavon continued his scoring streak at York on the opening day, having missed the previous week’s Capital One Cup defeat to Watford through illness.

But speaking after the defeat at Southend Waddock said: “If Bevs was here today possibly he wouldn’t have been in the right frame of mind. He wanted to go and play his football in League One. The deal’s been done so we’re talking about a player who’s done brilliantly for this football club and we’d like to wish him all the very best.”

Having signed for North End, Beavon said the club was the only one he wanted to join.

Waddock added: “He wanted to test himself again at that level. He wanted to go to that particular football club and we wish him good luck.”