Football League Report On Agents

The latest Football League Agents' Fees Report has revealed that League clubs committed to paying more than £6.2m to agents during the first six months of the 2006/07 season - an increase of almost £1.8m on the amount spent in the same period last season.

Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said:

'The League's new agents' regulations, introduced this summer, have helped bring greater levels of transparency and integrity to the transfer system.

'In making these changes, we fully understood that the culture of paying agents was deeply embedded and would take time to reverse. These figures underline that reality, with clubs spending, on average, more than £30,000 per day.

'However, change is in the air and the FA's new regulations on agents will also help to reinforce The Football League's message to its clubs.'

The report reveals that clubs committed to pay agents in 24% (497) of the 2,034 player transactions that took place during the reporting period, collectively committing a sum of £6,214,969.

Championship clubs accounted for 88% (£5.5m) of this total, with League 1 and League 2 clubs accounting for 8% (£505k) and 4% (£220k) respectively.

Twenty-one clubs did not commit any money to agents and a further nine, including Northampton Town, committed £5,000 or less.

REPORT SUMMARY

Figures for July to December 2005 in italics)

Overall Football League Figures

Between July 1, 2006 and December 31, 2006 Football League clubs engaged in 2,034 (1,765) player transactions (new registrations/player transfers, contract updates, contract cancellations and loans);

Clubs committed to pay an agent in 497 (237) of these transactions;

League clubs committed to spend £6,214,969 (£4,427,986) during the period of this report;

21 (21) clubs did not commit any money to agents during the last six months;

A further 9 clubs committed £5,000 or less to agents during the last six months.

The Championship

In the Championship there were 731 (657) player transactions, 297 (136) involving the use of an agent;

Clubs committed to spend a total of £5,489,599 (£3,741,886) on agents' fees during this period;

23 (23) clubs committed to pay for the services of a licensed agent;

1 (1) club did not pay for the services of a licensed agent (Colchester United).

League 1

In League 1 there were 641 (560) player transactions, 122 (64) involving the use of an agent;

Clubs committed to spend a total of £505,305 (£549,110) on agents' fees during this period;

19 clubs (15) committed to pay for the services of a licensed agent;

5 clubs (9) did not pay for the services of a licensed agent (Blackpool, Cheltenham Town, Crewe Alexandra, Huddersfield Town and Port Vale).

League 2

In League 2 there were 662 (548) player transactions, 78 (37) involving the use of an agent;

Clubs committed to spend a total of £220,065 (£136,990) on agents' fees during this period;

9 clubs (13) committed to pay for the services of a licensed agent;

15 clubs (11) did not pay for the services of a licensed agent (Accrington Stanley, Barnet, Bury, Chester City, Hartlepool United, Hereford United, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town, Notts County, Peterborough United, Rochdale, Stockport County, Walsall, Wrexham and Wycombe Wanderers).

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