The latest figures, which cover the period from January to June 2005, released in the Football League Agents Fees Report, reveal that the 72 League clubs committed a total of £2.3 million in the six months, a figure that was up £0.9m from £1.4m in the corresponding period last year.
Throughout the three divisions – the Coca-Cola Championship, League One and League Two – clubs paid agents in 111 out of a total of 1,362 player transactions across the 182-day period. This makes up around eight per cent of the total number of transfers in the world’s oldest Football League.
The £325,020 contributed by League Two clubs to the total of £7.8m paid to agents throughout the 2004/5 campaign represented just over four per cent of the total, despite seven clubs, including promoted side Scunthorpe United and Southend’s Play-Off Final opposition Lincoln City, not paying a single penny.
In the year, 64 of 1008 transactions in the division used the services of paid agents, who were utilised through new player registrations, player transfers, contract updates and cancellations and loan deals. Sir Brian Mawhinney, the chairman of the Football League, lauded the decision to make these figures readily available.
The former Conservative Party MP declared, “Football League clubs have taken an important lead in committing themselves to transparency in this area. Once again, I commend them for doing so. Too much money is leaving football through payments to agents and League clubs have made it clear to me that they want a stronger regulatory framework governing how agents operate.” The Premier League refused to implement such measures, although relegated sides Norwich City, Crystal Palace and Southampton are now subject to the conditions.
Southend United were the second largest contributor to agents’ coffers during the 2004/5 campaign, spending £40,020 on 34 transactions throughout the year. The only larger sum dished out was from fellow promoted outfit Swansea City, who spent over £55,000 on seven less transactions.
Blues used agents in 14 new registrations and transfers, six contract updates, six contract cancellations and eight loan deals. The most high-profile middle man has been Richard Cody, who has in the past threatened Darryl Flahavan’s future with the Shrimpers, offered the services of Jay Smith and Lawrie Dudfield to Bristol Rovers and instructed Che Wilson to disregard a one-year contract offer.
On Southend United’s official website, www.southendunited.co.uk, Seasiders’ chief executive Geoffrey King described agents as a “necessary evil”. King justified the use of the money by pointing to Southend and Swansea’s success. “Ourselves and Swansea won promotion last season and that success has arisen due to spending money on players,” he said.
King continued, “To speak to players and bring them to your clubs, then going through an agent is a necessary evil. Southend is no different to any club with regards to using agents, and we always control the amount we spend on using them.” He omitted, of course, to mention that the Iron were also promoted automatically, whilst Yeovil Town, who were champions, only spent £11,500.
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com