Morecambe's spend on agent fees revealed by FA

Figures published by the Football Association show that the Shrimps spent £61,544 on ‘intermediary fees’ between February 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023.

That is a slight increase, having paid £60,666 in the year previously as they hastily put together a squad following promotion into League One.

Only Exeter City (£60,351) spent less than Morecambe with League One clubs handing over £5,694,614 in total.

In all, the Shrimps paid out money as part of 17 deals in all.

Those included contracts for Adam Smith, Farrend Rawson, Max Melbourne, Donald Love, Connor Ripley, Arthur Gnahoua, Shane McLoughlin, Ryan McLaughlin, Jake Taylor, Ousmane Fane, Ash Hunter and Jacob Bedeau.

Also covered were the loan deals for Caleb Watts, Liam Shaw and Michael Mellon, as well as McLaughlin’s contract cancellation.

Derby County were the biggest spenders as they paid out £1,064,645.

However, £760,000 of that sum relates to historic debt both before and during administration when it was a Championship club; money which was paid upon exiting administration.

As part of the club’s post-administration business plan, the Rams can only pay a maximum of five per cent in intermediary fees in any transfer.

Ipswich Town were the second highest spenders, paying out almost £850,000, with Fleetwood Town (£506,092) completing the top three.

As for the rest of the top five divisions, the Premier League shelled out a little more than £318.2m, the Championship paid £36.3m, League Two £1.67m and the National League £663,237.

Morecambe’s overall spend was surpassed by four National League clubs, namely Wrexham (£163,737), Oldham Athletic (£80,747), Chesterfield (£77,194) and Notts County (£68,379).

In alphabetical order, the League One clubs’ spending was as follows:

Accrington Stanley: £62,134

Barnsley: £234,190

Bolton Wanderers: £257,040

Bristol Rovers: £112,281

Burton Albion: £111,443

Cambridge United: £79,885

Charlton Athletic: £250,722

Cheltenham Town: £79,811

Derby County: £1,064,645

Exeter City: £60,351

Fleetwood Town: £506,092

Forest Green Rovers: £83,455

Ipswich Town: £849,657

Lincoln City: £213,775

MK Dons: £96,343

Morecambe: £61,544

Oxford United: £381,828

Peterborough United: £232,094

Plymouth Argyle: £97,404

Port Vale: £124,965

Portsmouth: £138,163

Sheffield Wednesday: £404,098

Shrewsbury Town: £83,655

Wycombe Wanderers: £109,039

Total: £5,694,614