Agent fees help the relegated get promoted

Relegation from the top flight is easy to rebound from because of the parachute payments. In turn, that has led to a rise in agents' fees.

English Birmingham City and Sunderland, both relegated last season from the Premier League, led the Championship with GBP 1.7 million heading to agents during the transfer window. The rest of the Championship spent GBP 5.8 million total.

Birmingham City and Sunderland made it back to the top flight this season.

For Championship clubs not along the top, and therefore not used to bouncing back and forth between the Premier League and the Championship, it makes the road to promotion more difficult.

While Championship clubs now will receive GBP 2 million apiece after a Premier League funding package was announced last week, parachute payments for the demoted have risen from GBP 6.5 million to 11.2 million, meaning relegation can be a short-term affair.

There was a 25 percent reduction in agent's fees compared to the same time last season, and Championship chairman Lord Mawhinney said, he hopes to see that trend continue.

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

Colchester was the only Championship club not to pay for the services of a licensed agent.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.