The latest publication of Football League clubs spending on agents' fees has revealed that money committed to agents has fallen by more than £2million in the last 12 months.
League clubs committed £8.8m to agents between July 2008 and June 2009 compared to £11.1m for the same period in 2007/08.
In announcing the latest agents' fees figures Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney said: "Given the current financial outlook, it is encouraging that clubs are being more circumspect in terms of their payments to agents.
"In fact, clubs only committed to pay an agent in 6% of the 3,700 player transactions that took place during the course of the season. This is the lowest figure recorded in the five seasons since the publication of agents' fees began.
"I would like to think that in pioneering the publication of agents' fees, The Football League has helped bring this about."
During the 2008/09 season clubs committed to pay agents in 229 (6.1%) of the 3,727 player transactions that took place, collectively committing the sum of £8,809,501. Championship clubs accounted for £7.5m (86%) of this total, with League 1 and League 2 clubs accounting for £1.1m (12%) and £0.2m (2%) respectively.
Nineteen clubs did not commit any money to agents during the 12 months covered by this report. A further ten clubs paid less than £10,000.
Overall 2008/09 figures
(2007/08 figures in brackets)
Between 1st July 2008 and 30th June 2009 Football League clubs engaged in 3,727 (3,399) player transactions (new registrations/player transfers, contract updates, contract cancellations and loans);
Clubs committed to pay an agent in 229 (283) of these transactions;
Therefore, no agent was used in 3,498 transactions;
League clubs committed to spend £8,809,501 (£11,066,083) on agents' fees during the period of this report;
19 clubs (18) did not commit any money to agents during the 12 months covered by this report; They were Accrington Stanley, AFC Bournemouth, Barnet, Chester City, Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra, Dagenham & Redbridge, Darlington, Exeter City, Gillingham, Grimsby Town, Hartlepool United, Hereford United, Macclesfield Town, Northampton Town, Port Vale, Rochdale, Scunthorpe United and Tranmere Rovers;
29 clubs (23) committed to pay less than £10,000 to agents in the same period.
In the Championship there were 1,227 (1,129) player transactions, 142 (199) involved the use of agents;
Clubs committed to spend a total of £7,541,379 (£9,302,060) on agents' fees during this period;
All 24 clubs (23) committed to paying for the services of a licensed agent.
Click here to download the FL Agents Report as a .pdf
