Heavy traffic on the M25 cost Brighton and Hove Albion the chance to sign Tottenham's Alex Pritchard, giving Norwich City the chance to jump on the deal, the club's CEO has claimed.
Paul Barber revealed that the Seagulls had agreed personal terms with the midfielder, but while stuck in traffic on the way to the south coast to finalise his move, the 23-year-old changed his mind.
That hesitation allowed Championship rivals Norwich City to hijack the deal, with the talented midfielder agreeing a four-year deal at Carrow Road.
Speaking at a fans' forum, Barber said: 'We agreed terms with Spurs, and then agreed terms with the player and agent. Player was travelling to us.
'There were delays on the M25, and it was during that delay another club jumped on the deal.
'These things happen in football, and we are not naive enough to think that doesn't happen.'
Canaries' fans on Twitter found the reason for their latest signing rather amusing and posted a number of tweets and videos about it.
However Pritchard played down the fuss over his Brighton U-turn when speaking to the media at City's pre-match press conference at Colney earlier today.
'It's football, I've got to choose, I can't be both,' he said. 'I apologise or whatever I have to do but that's football.
'I'll get on with it, they'll get on with it but I'm a Norwich City player, I don't really want to speak about it.'
It's not the first time Norwich City have cashed in on a late decision change. In 2012 defender Ryan Bennett was on his way to join Swansea when he turned round at Windsor and headed east to join the Canaries.
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