After failing to agree a Development Fee with Harrow Borough, for our young PASE Academy Striker Simeon Akinola. Wood Chairman Danny Hunter and Academy Director Luke Garrard attended a tribunal at Wembley Stadium to give Boreham Woods reasons for not accepting Harrow Borough’s offer of £750 for the Player.
The Chairman and Academy Director, where both asked to demonstrate to the Panel, why the Clubs 3 year investment in Simeon had not only improved the Player but played a large part in his Development. The Panel also wished to know why the club felt Simeon was worth more than the £750 that had been offered by Harrow.
After a comprehensive and detailed explanation to the tribunal that was also attended by Harrow Borough Chairman Peter Rogers and other HFC representatives. The Tribunal after hearing all the evidence ruled that Boreham Wood had a legitimate claim to expect more in recompense for the Development work they had put into Simeon.
The Panel decided that a figure of £2,400 inc Vat should be paid to BWFC, with a further 20% sell on fee, to be received by BWFC for the Player, should he be sold by Harrow in the future..
Chairman Danny Hunter said “it was not a case of who won and who lost for us!! It was a case of us simply demonstrating to the FA and Harrow, the extent of the work that progressive Clubs like Boreham Wood are doing. It gave us a chance to showcase our Pase scheme, our investment programme that Develops our young Players, coupled with our ongoing investment in our Facilities, our Coaching system, our PASE Structure and our Medical department.
Hunter went on to say “I believe we have done that in a positive way today and the Increased fee Harrow borough were asked to pay us, perhaps demonstrates that. The Panel also recognised that our Investment in Young Players is something as a Club we should be proud of and is worthy of a reasonable return”.
“In Simeon’s case the fee alone was genuinely not our major concern. Our concern is more about the Football industry as a whole, recognising the progress we’re making with our Academy, While stopping club’s cherry picking our top young talent and trying to take them on the cheap”.
Academy Director Luke Garrard Said “I’m delighted with the outcome and the thoroughness shown by the tribunal. We are trying to establish at the FA, a knowledge of our professionalism and that our investment into Young Players is substantial. It is now vital to us that all Non-league and professional Clubs accept that these Development costs and Investment in our Academy does have a value and that has been born out in the last 12 month’s with Fee’s being agreed for Pelly Ruddock, Omar Beckles and Simeon Akinola”.
