This Could Be The Last Time

Tomorrow is renowned for being the most frantic day in the football calendar as the fourth Thursday in March is Transfer Deadline Day.

But, with the Football League accepting the Transfer Window concept, this could be the last time that clubs have the chance to supplement their squads before the run-in to the end of the season.Tomorrow is renowned for being the most frantic day in the football calendar as the fourth Thursday in March is Transfer Deadline Day. But, with the Football League accepting the Transfer Window concept, this could be the last time that clubs have the chance to supplement their squads before the run-in to the end of the season.

Subject to a late change of heart, another football tradition will end at 5.00pm tomorrow.

The Football League wrote to all 72 member clubs in January to confirm that as of next season, transfer windows will apply in this country beyond the Premier League.

It means that clubs in the Coca-Cola Championship, plus Leagues One and Two, will not be able to transfer players in and out at any time of the year, other than during the close season or the month of January.

In the letter, Football League chairman Sir Brian Mawhinney expressed his regret that his organisation had been unable to secure any further concessions from FIFA to allow lower division teams the ability to continue to trade outside of the windows.

Sir Brian also confirmed that the world governing body’s executive committee had now ratified and approved the revised rules governing the “status and transfer of players”, with the intention that these rules apply “universally” and with “no exceptions” from the 2005-06 season.

The League’s board of directors have formed a working party to consider the full extent of the implications for clubs in its three divisions.

Although there is still like to be plenty of frees and loans, compared to earlier times, recent Transfer Deadlines have been relatively quiet. The biggest fee paid last year is believed to be the £25,000 that Nottingham Forest paid Bradford City for the services of Paul Evans. Ten years ago it was £600,000 for Brett Angell’s move from Everton to Sunderland.