Swindon Town spend big on agents (From This Is Swindon Town FC)

Swindon Town spend big on agents

6:00am Friday 10th August 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren

SWINDON Town spent close to half a million pounds on agent’s fees last season - more than three times as much as any other League Two club.

The £448,506 spent by Town was not matched by any side in League One either, while only 14 clubs in the Championship spent more.

Total League Two spending on agents in 2011/12 was £1,036,198, with Town’s share made up of 46 new registrations, five updated contracts, 12 cancelled contracts, and 15 loans.

With 78 transactions made in total, each cost the club an average of £5,750, in a year in which Town won the League Two title.

In total, over £21m was spent by Football League clubs, with Accrington, AFC Wimbledon, Barnet and Crewe in League Two not spending a penny on agents fees.

In announcing the figures, Football League chairman Greg Clarke said: “While £21m is a lot of money leaving the game, it should also be noted that a considerable amount of this total has been spent by a small number of clubs. In fact, almost a fifth of the overall figure was spent by one club alone.

“Where such spending forms part of a sustainable business plan it shouldn’t be of great concern and supporters should be encouraged to see our clubs committing themselves to the new Financial Fair Play regulations that will take effect across all three divisions in the new season.

“In time, these rules will require clubs to be more circumspect with regard to their spending and may help reduce the costs incurred in this area.”