Preston fuming after FA fine

Preston chairman Derek Shaw has criticised the Football Association’s decision to punish the club with a £1,000 (€1,500) fine and a suspended ban on national transfers for a breach of player agents regulations.

The Deepdale club was charged with dealing with a non-licensed players’ agent in the re-negotiation of Michael Brown’s contract with the 20-year-old’s lawyer.

Shaw claims Preston were unaware the representative was not registered and said: “A very small payment was paid to Michael’s lawyer and we believe the talks were completed above board.

“We believe the lawyer was acting in the best interests of his client and the fact he was only given a very small payment indicates this.

“A young professional footballer has used a lawyer in negotiations at a time when the footballing authorities should be looking to clamp down on excessive agents’ fees.

“What are we expected to do? Work with a registered agent who would probably have charged thousands rather than hundreds of pounds to negotiate a deal?

“It does not make sense and we are very disappointed to be fined and given this suspended sentence.”