The latest Football League Agents' Fees Report has revealed that the amount of money being committed to agents by League clubs during the first half of the season has fallen by 28% on last year.

In total, League clubs committed to pay £5.7m to agents between August and December 2008, compared to £7.9m for the second half of 2007. A third of League clubs (24) did not commit any money at all to agents.

Football League Chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said:

"Given the severe economic recession, it is encouraging to see these figure declining.

"Part of this decrease is likely to be a consequence of the new agents' regulations introduced by the FA. These prohibit clubs from making one-off payments to players which they then use to pay their agent's fees. The upshot is that, in some cases, agents' fees will have been absorbed into player salaries instead.

"I am encouraged that the FA took the decision to suspend this element of their regulations during the recent transfer window and I would encourage them to continue to do so.

"Overall, I believe the publication of agents' fees, along with the more recent decision to prohibit the practice of 'Dual Representation', has brought much greater levels of transparency and integrity to the transfer system.

"To most people it will seem sensible that where agents are working on behalf of players, they get paid by players. And when they work for clubs they get paid by clubs."

The report reveals that clubs committed to pay agents in 9% (141) of the 1,650 player transactions that took place during the reporting period, collectively committing a sum of £5,707,695.

Championship clubs accounted for 84% (£4.8m) of this total, with League 1 and League 2 clubs accounting for 13% (£740k) and 3% (£159k) respectively.

The 24 clubs that did not commit any money to agents during the last six months were: Accrington Stanley, AFC Bournemouth, Barnet, Cheltenham Town, Chester City, Chesterfield, Crewe Alexandra, Dagenham & Redbridge, Darlington, Exeter City, Gillingham, Grimsby Town, Hartlepool United, Hereford United, Macclesfield Town, Millwall, Northampton Town, Peterborough United, Port Vale, Rochdale, Scunthorpe United, Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers and Wycombe Wanderers.

REPORT SUMMARY:
(Figures for July to December 2007 in brackets)

Overall Football League Figures
• Between July 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008 Football League clubs engaged in 1,650 (1,913) player transactions (new registrations/player transfers, contract updates, contract cancellations and loans);
• Clubs committed to pay an agent in 141 (283) of these transactions;
• League clubs committed to spend £5,707,695 (£7,930,379) during the period of this report;
• 24 (19) clubs did not commit any money to agents during the last six months;

Championship
• In the Championship there were 578 (635) player transactions, 88 (151) involving payment to an agent;
• Clubs committed to spend a total of £4,809,035 (£6,684,759) on agents' fees during this period;
• 24 (23) clubs committed to pay for the services of a licensed agent.

League 1
• In League 1 there were 542 (607) player transactions, 35 (99) involving payment to an agent;
• Clubs committed to spend a total of £740,160 (£1,039,484) on agents' fees during this period;
• 14 (21) clubs committed to pay for the services of a licensed agent;
• 10 (3) clubs did not pay for the services of a licensed agent - Cheltenham Town, Crewe Alexandra, Hartlepool United, Hereford United, Millwall, Northampton Town, Peterborough United, Scunthorpe United, Swindon Town and Tranmere Rovers.

League 2
• In League 2 there were 530 (671) player transactions, 18 (33) involving payment to an agent;
• Clubs committed to spend a total of £158,500 (£206,136) on agents' fees during this period;
• 10 (9) clubs committed to pay for the services of a licensed agent;
• 14 (15) clubs did not pay for the services of a licensed agent - Accrington Stanley, AFC Bournemouth, Barnet, Chester City, Chesterfield, Dagenham & Redbridge, Darlington, Exeter City, Gillingham, Grimsby Town, Macclesfield Town, Port Vale, Rochdale and Wycombe Wanderers.

Download the latest
Football League Agents' Fees Report