Neil Campbell's move to Colchester United has collapsed.

U's boss Steve Wignall insisted today the deal was off -- unless the Scarborough striker accepted the terms on offer at the last minute.

But Wignall admitted this morning he was not holding his breath waiting for Campbell to contact him.

He said: "It is dead unless he comes back and accepts what we have offered."

Campbell was set to move to Layer Road after the two clubs agreed a fee in the region of £15,000-£20,000. But the involvement of Campbell's agent, who is trying to negotiate an extra 20-30 percent in wages, looks like costing the 21-year-old the biggest move of his career.

Wignall said: "I think it is a farcical situation. Players have got to get real and start doing things for themselves. If he comes, it is on our terms, but he better hurry up because I might get somebody else tomorrow."

Wignall insisted the U's would write the deal off rather than increase their original offer to Campbell.

He said: "We are not desperate to take the lad. When players come on to my desk, sometimes you have to act very quickly. But Campbell was a player I had seen and thought had potential. If it doesn't come off, it's not the end of the world."

Scarborough chairman John Russell said it would be a "bad decision" on Campbell's part if he let money block his move to the U's.

He said: "To be quite honest, I think Neil has been given a tremendous opportunity by Colchester and has been offered a bigger contract than what he was on at Scarborough.

"He is going to one of the biggest clubs in the Second Division and they're a smashing little club. Colchester United will look after him, they are a family club. I think if the deal falls through, I feel Neil Campbell has made a bad decision.

"If I was offered a contract with a second division football club, I would be down there at six o'clock in the morning. But it doesn't seem to work that way any more."

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