Agent Fees

[Luke Imp]

That time of the year again where these are released.

We spent £44k over 9 players.

List via these links at the bottom of the page:

http://www.thefa.com/news/2019/apr/04/intermediary-fees-and-transactions-040419

 

[DippyDon]

I’m extremely surprised that A) we aren’t the top spenders and B) Northampton have spent £12k more than we have.

 

[Indian Dan]

Tbf, most L2 clubs look to have been sensible regarding agents’ fees.

Our £18000 is one of the lowest. In comparison, Oxford United who have just racked up their 5th winding up order of the season, spent £160,000.

Sunderland, a mere £2.5m!

 

[Agombar stool]

Salford spent 76k.

 

[dedwardp]

Is this the first year there hasn't been a single club who didn't spend a penny?

 

[Imp in Branston]

Is this the first year there hasn't been a single club who didn't spend a penny?

Lots of crossed legs methinks.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

We win! Or do we come last...

 

[Wooderson]

Thought ours would be more

 

[shoddycollins]

Surprised to be Bury so low, or Cheltenham so high (but only because I was under the impression Rakish Bingham represented himself), though I'll admit to not knowing what the figures mean. Does low spending mean you're signing players who aren't much sought after and high spending the opposite? Does an agent charge more or less when his client is a free agent? Is it proportional to the player's salary? Does it depend more on the player or the agent? Does the agent negotiate their fee with the club or just slap them with a bill at the end?

 

[Vanni]

Surprised to be Bury so low, or Cheltenham so high (but only because I was under the impression Rakish Bingham represented himself), though I'll admit to not knowing what the figures mean. Does low spending mean you're signing players who aren't much sought after and high spending the opposite? Does an agent charge more or less when his client is a free agent? Is it proportional to the player's salary? Does it depend more on the player or the agent? Does the agent negotiate their fee with the club or just slap them with a bill at the end?

I'm only going on what I heard or read in books throughout the years so I could be wrong but anyway....

1. 100%. Demand is what raises or lowers the agents' fees. Keep in mind that strikers/forwards will,99% of the time,command the highest fees.
2. Depends on no.1 obviously, but generally the agents ask for more when the player's a free agent.
3. Haven't got a clue sorry
4. Definitely on the agent. In fact, it's one of the main reasons why some players switch agents.
5. Not sure what your question is Shoddy. If by 'negotiate' you mean bargaining (the club tries to get the agent to lower his fees), then I don't know, though I guess demand certainly comes into it.

 

[Indian Dan]

Seems logical to me if that an agent finds a player a club then the player should pay the agent.

Much as an actor’s agent will usually take 10% of their client’s earnings from any particular gig he/she has found them.

Why clubs haven’t got together and told agents to fuck right off I have no idea.

 

[Stringy]

Why clubs haven’t got together and told agents to fuck right off I have no idea.

I wish the world would just get rid of agents and agencies full stop. I'm sure they must be useful but all I seem to see is them ripping different people off. Charging public sector organisations extortionate fees for permanent and day to day staff. Not passing on a fair amount of that fee to the agency workers who pretty much have no employment rights. If tomorrow they just disappeared entirely I think the world would be a happier place.

 

[Deepcut Cobbler]

Not sure if this is a good or bad thing?
Is it related to getting players on the cheap/free but having to pay more to the agent and player to secure the signing? Or have we been paying a large transfer fee with the associated agents percentage on top?
With all these 'undisclosed fees' it's difficult to decide.

 

[Indian Dan]

Undisclosed fees should be banned, too.

 

[Gladders]

38k for us, seemed high till I looked at the list of players for us. 14 players including one who came through our youth programme!

Why we paying agents fees for offering a youth a pro contract! As above agents should either be banned or the players themselves should pay them out of their signing on fee.

 

[Si Robin]

Surprised to be Bury so low, or Cheltenham so high (but only because I was under the impression Rakish Bingham represented himself), though I'll admit to not knowing what the figures mean. Does low spending mean you're signing players who aren't much sought after and high spending the opposite? Does an agent charge more or less when his client is a free agent? Is it proportional to the player's salary? Does it depend more on the player or the agent? Does the agent negotiate their fee with the club or just slap them with a bill at the end?

A definite surprise for us and a rarity - it wasn't so long ago we spent nothing on agent's fees. The club have said this was definitely a one-off though.

 

[HarryH]

I'm only going on what I heard or read in books throughout the years so I could be wrong but anyway....

1. 100%. Demand is what raises or lowers the agents' fees. Keep in mind that strikers/forwards will,99% of the time,command the highest fees.
2. Depends on no.1 obviously, but generally the agents ask for more when the player's a free agent.
3. Haven't got a clue sorry
4. Definitely on the agent. In fact, it's one of the main reasons why some players switch agents.
5. Not sure what your question is Shoddy. If by 'negotiate' you mean bargaining (the club tries to get the agent to lower his fees), then I don't know, though I guess demand certainly comes into it.

I believe that most of the U's transactions with an agent's payment were part of contract negatiations for out of contract players at the end of last season, rather than new signings.

 

[WhiteRussian]

Seems logical to me if that an agent finds a player a club then the player should pay the agent.

Much as an actor’s agent will usually take 10% of their client’s earnings from any particular gig he/she has found them.

Why clubs haven’t got together and told agents to fuck right off I have no idea.

I do so agree with this.

 

[shoddycollins]

Undisclosed fees should be banned, too.

They usually benefit both seller and buyer though, so there'll not be many people in football calling for them to be banned. Probably just Andy Holt.

 

[shoddycollins]

Seems logical to me if that an agent finds a player a club then the player should pay the agent.

Much as an actor’s agent will usually take 10% of their client’s earnings from any particular gig he/she has found them.

Why clubs haven’t got together and told agents to fuck right off I have no idea.

I presume the player does pay the agent, I mean in the grand scheme of things, even Northampton's 92k isn't a lot, so if that's where agents get all their money from then at this level being a football agent isn't as lucrative as it's made out to be. Chances are it's just extra money for them, that they charge because they can.

If a club refused to pay agents' fees then agents would probably just find a club who were willing. Not really in the best interests of the player either but it'll keep happening unless it's regulated.

 

[Indian Dan]

They usually benefit both seller and buyer though, so there'll not be many people in football calling for them to be banned. Probably just Andy Holt.

It certainly does. But it also offers up the opportunities for ‘creative’ accounting. The game is corrupt enough.