Welcome to today's issue of BOUNDARY BULLET-zine The Daily On-line e-zine for 271 Oldham Athletic Supporters Worldwide Today's Edition for

1st September 2000

Today's Headlines

Beavers to join Darlo

Oldham Evening Chronicle Whitehall can go in Latics clear-out

STEVE WHITEHALL, pushed down the pecking order by the signing of striker Carlo Corazzin, has been transfer-listed by Athletic. While the 33-year-old’s name was today being circulated to other clubs, two more players appear to be heading out of Boundary Park. Stuart Thom is discussing a transfer to Scunthorpe United, the two clubs having agreed an undisclosed fee. And Paul Beavers is in talks with Darlington about a free-transfer move back to the North East. The departures of Thom and Beavers could pave the way for the signing of Irish defender Barry Prenderville, which manager Andy Ritchie is keen on finalising. The listing of Whitehall, who cost £20,000 from Rochdale in the summer of 1998, was agreed “amicably” following talks with Ritchie. Ritchie explained that Corazzin’s arrival had meant Whitehall is unable to command a regular place.

He said: “Steve is at the stage of his career when he needs to be playing regular first-team football. “Carlo has come in and we have gone for a quicker and younger front line. It is through no fault of Steve’s and he has been a great servant in the two years he has been here. He has shown an excellent attitude and continues to do so.” Ritchie says he would be reluctant to lose Thom, who was signed almost two years ago from Nottingham Forest for £40,000. But the defender’s first-team opportunities are also limited and he didn’t want to stand in his way. Ritchie added he has plenty of central defensive cover, including two bright young prospects in Ben Futcher and Will Haining. In the case of Beavers, Ritchie said a move would give him the chance to resurrect his career.

Ritchie said: “When Paul came the season before last he helped us to stay up. He was what we needed at the time but, since he came back, he has never reached those heights again and has failed to fulfil his potential.” Ritchie is keen to bring Prenderville on board as the 23-year-old is currently doing well in a second trial spell at Boundary Park. Prenderville had five years at Coventry City, though he never made a league appearance for them. He played first-team football on loan at Hibernian in Scotland and is currently playing for St Pat’s in his native Dublin. Ritchie is hoping Neil Adams (groin) and Mark Hotte (ankle) will be fit for Saturday’s home game against Notts County. Both players missed the midweek match at Colchester, as did No 2 goalkeeper David Miskelly who is away on international duty with Northern Ireland under-21s.

Football Guardian Blatter proposal mortifies Oldham

Second Division Lancashire club ponder a future without transfer lifeline

As officials emerged from yesterday's meeting in Geneva to announce the end of the transfer system, the implications were already being felt hundreds of miles away at Boundary Park and, for that matter, all the other small clubs in Europe. Oldham Athletic's public relations officer Gordon Lawton had just heard Sepp Blatter on the radio announcing that the transfer system was dead; no longer will clubs have to pay fees for players aged 24 or more. For Lawton and his fellow officials at the Lancashire Second Division club, the FIFA president's words could sound the death knell for an institution they serve and support so loyally. "We rely on transfer money, it helps keep the club afloat," he said. "It's vital for clubs like ours. It's the only thing that keeps us going. "We have enough trouble as it is. It can be a real struggle trying to make ends meet on a weekly basis. This is going to make it even harder." Lawton estimates that by selling one player a season for a minimum of £500,000 Oldham, a Premiership club from 1991-94, can stay afloat. "That sort of money helps pay the wages of all non-playing staff for the whole year and a number of other expenses."Oldham sold the full-back Carl Serrant to Newcastle United for £600,000 in September 1998 and last season Stuart Barlow joined Wigan for £70,000. Under FIFA's new proposals they would have got nothing for Barlow while the loss of Serrant, who was coming up to his 23rd birthday, would only have yielded compensation. Though it is not clear how much, Lawton believes that it would have been nowhere near the amount they actually banked for the defender. "Things are just going to get harder for us with these new rules," Lawton added. "It's going to be fine for the big boys and the big-name players. They will be able to go out there, pay big salaries and the players will get fat salaries. It's a pay-day for them but not for us and our players." The European Commission decided to challenge the current transfer system following a complaint from the Italian club Perugia, who refused to pay a transfer fee to a Belgian club. The commission believes that as in any other industry, players should have the right to change employers provided they give a period of notice. Lawton, however, believes that politicians need to take into account the unique nature of sport in general and football in particular.

Oldham claim that it was difficult enough adjusting to the demands of the Bosman ruling but that these plans will be much harder to come to terms with. While FIFA has said that compensation should be paid for players aged 18 to 24 and that this might benefit some clubs who lose out on players they have helped develop, Lawton believes that the amounts may not be enough to guarantee the financial future of small clubs. He said: "Who knows, we might go under with an end to transfers. Life is going to be very difficult. This whole thing could be a real disaster. "We need solid transfer money, not vague guarantees of compensation."

Others within the game believe that the issue of compensation has not been properly thought out and could cause even more problems for clubs and players. John Barnwell, head of the League Managers' Association and who was following yesterday's events in Zurich, said: "How will levels of compensation be sorted out? "For players under 24 do you evaluate it on training and time spent with a young footballer? If so, do you pay the same amount of compensation for someone who has been at Liverpool's academy as you do for someone who has been at Exeter?" FIFA has not announced how it will evaluate compensation levels. Many feel that it might be based on the length of contract, appearances or even goals scored. The new proposals are also something of a double-edged sword. While players will be able to walk away from clubs and terminate their contracts, given a period of notice, clubs will also be able to sack players, with notice. "It works both ways," said Barnwell. A player could have a bad game or fall out with the boss and he could be out of the club." The game's wealthier, high-profile players, however, are unlikely to be concerned at being sacked by their clubs, given that most have earned enough never to work again. "It's the vast majority that I feel sorry for," said Barnwell. "Small players and small clubs are going to be hardest hit by the new proposals."

Teamtalk Darlington

Star set to sign

Gary Bennett is on the verge of snapping up former Hartlepool star Paul Beavers from Oldham Athletic. On-trial from Boundary Park, the 21-year-old has impressed the Quakers boss with some lively displays for the Darlington second-string over the last three weeks. And, after the player worked hard to overcome early doubts over his fitness, Bennett has offered the Lancastrian a deal to keep him at Feethams. Meanwhile, another new boy, French defender Christophe Raymond, was one of the few players to impress in the reserves' 3-0 defeat at home to Lincoln yesterday. The Frenchman is now on standby to make his first-team debut on home to York on Saturday in a team chasing its third successive win - if Neil Aspin fails to recover from his back injury.

Contributions and letters should be sent to Gary Davies by e-mail at [email protected].or at Boundary Bullet-zine,41 Verney Road,Royton,Oldham,United Kingdom.OL2 6AZBoundary Bullet-zine Archive can be found at http://www.geocities.com/laticsgary.geo.The views expressed on this e-zine are not the views of Oldham Athletic F.C. nor necessarily the views of the Editor.This e-zine is a unofficial publication NOT sanctioned by Oldham Athletic Football Club.The editor will not publish any letters containing bad language.This e-zine is written using Microsoft Outlook Express and is best viewed with the HTML (rich) text option enabled.

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