Portsmouth boss Kenny Jackett's son gave Peterborough 'no chance' of signing £1m striker who joined Cardiff

Watters completed a move to Cardiff from Crawley last week for a reported fee that could reach £1m.

After being released by Doncaster, the striker plundered 16 goals in 19 games for the League Two outfit.

Peterborough were keen to recruit Watters during this month’s transfer window, with Darren Ferguson hoping to reunite with the 21-year-old having signed him when in charge of Donny.

Finances proved the crucial factor why the forward instead joined the south Wales outfit.

But speaking on his The Hard Truth podcast, MacAnthony revealed the forward is represented by Kenny Jackett's son, David, who works for Wasserman Media Group.

The Posh are once again challenging the Blues for League One promotion this season – with MacAnthony rating Pompey as favourites to go up.

The Irishman, therefore, conceded Jackett jnr was never going to strengthen one of his dad’s side’s key rivals.

MacAnthony said: ‘Fair play to Crawley, any lower-league club in League Two getting £1m right now is a Godsend.

‘We bid for Max, no-one really knows that but we were the other club at the table.

‘But when I knew it was Kenny Jackett's son who represented him, I knew there was no chance coming to us – no matter what!

‘That's not a dig obviously at the agent but the minute it was kind of like that I was like "yeah (it's not happening)".

‘We had a fighting chance but with the figures and the finances involved, we didn't have a fighting chance in the end.

‘When a Championship club makes the call, you know 99 per cent of the time, the player will skip League One and go straight to the Champ.

‘Max chose to go to Cardiff and good luck to him and his new club. Max dropped down a division to get playing again and he’s been rewarded for his hard work.’

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