League boss calls for less cash for agents

English Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney has urged member clubs to continue to cut spending on agents' fees.

The League today released figures for the second half of last season which revealed that overall clubs spent 25% less on agents' fees than in the same period in the 2005-06 campaign.

Coca-Cola Championships clubs shelled out a total of £2,113,903 (€3,151,347) to agents, with League One clubs spending £208,563 (€310,920) and clubs in League Two spending a total of £118,387 (€176,488).

Overall, League clubs paid agents £8,584,321 (€12,799,913) in the last year.

Mawhinney said: "I am encouraged that Football League clubs have spent less money on agents' fees over the last six months and I hope this pattern continues.

"The League remains the only body of clubs that have committed to publishing their spending on agents' fees. By doing so, we are taking an admirable lead in terms of good governance in football."

Birmingham and Sunderland - the two sides automatically promoted to the Premier League - had the biggest outlay to agents in the second half of the 2006-07 season, with Blues spending £321,200 (€478,935) and the Black Cats £287,094 (€428,080).

Sunderland spent the most on agents' fees in the last 12 months, contributing £881,594 (€1.31bn) with Birmingham spending £841,150 (€1.25bn).

Colchester were the only Championship club not to pay for the services of a licensed agent, while Blackpool, Cheltenham, Port Vale, Crewe, Huddersfield and 13 League Two clubs also spend nothing at all on agents' fees.

The Us join Blackpool, Cheltenham, Huddersfield, Stockport and Wrexham in not having spent a penny on agents in the last three seasons.