Town one of second tier’s top spenders on agents

HUDDERSFIELD TOWN, Hull City, Bradford City and Harrogate Town were Yorkshire’s only league clubs to pay above-average amounts to agents in the Football Association’s latest figures.

The numbers cover the last two transfer windows, running for 12 months from February 1 2020. Leeds United, Rotherham United and Harrogate were promoted, Hull relegated.

Despite breaking their transfer records, Leeds and Sheffield United spent just over half the Premier League average of £13,611,011 on agents facilitating contract renewals and signings. The Championship’s 2020-21 average was £1,698,063.

Leeds paid £7,034,943, including to the agent of £27m Rodrigo, and the Blades £7,081,018, taking in the £24m purchase of Rhian Brewster.

Chelsea spent more than £35m whilst League One Gillingham were the only league club not to pay anything to agents.

Despite two relatively frugal transfer windows after their parachute payment was cut because of Covid-19, and although their £1,752,064 was more than £0.5m down on the previous year, Huddersfield were still one of the Championship’s bigger spenders. Florent Hadejonaj and Steve Mounie received undisclosed pay-offs.

Barnsley’s reputation as a model club is enhanced by spending less on agents than all but Luton Town, Millwall and newly-promoted Rotherham United (£184,469) and Wycombe Wanderers. They paid £515,162.

Sheffield Wednesday cut their outlay almost in half to £722,988, whereas Middlesbrough remained steady at £1,394,501.

Hull were easily League One’s biggest spenders. Their £543,238 was more than four times the average, and over £100,000 above the next highest, Sunderland. Doncaster Rovers’ £110,299 was slightly below average.

Bradford invested heavily in January to support new managers Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars, bringing in nine new players and paying off four. However, their £71,369 was down £40,000 on last year, slightly behind Forest Green Rovers and Leyton Orient, and way off Salford City’s £137,884. Harrogate signed seven players in January, and spent £50,118 on agents over the 12 months, slightly above the League Two average of £44,546.

Only 26 National League clubs are listed but York City’s £13,099 was above average despite playing in Conference North, where Guiseley parted with just £450. Conference side FC Halifax Town were around £2,000 below average with £8,483.