Thursday 8 April 2010

The Santa Clause

The complexity of football transfers sometimes bears no bounds. Fees can be dependant on appearances, a new club's league position or a percentage of sell ons.

It is the one that specifies a club will be due a certain amount of money if player makes x number of appearances that really gets my goat.

This week Middlesbrough's Gary O'Neil did not travel with his side to Plymouth. Why, I hear you ask? Because O'Neil has made 99 appearances for Boro. One more will mean they have to pay another £1 million to Portsmouth as agreed when a transfer was arranged in 2007.

Ridiculously unfair on the player who is now in limbo. And also an insult to the fans that watch the game.