Alan Gernon - The Transfer Market: The Inside Stories

F IRSTLY, a huge thank you to all the current and former footballers who shared their experiences of the transfer market. Each participant was a key signing for the book and I couldnt have wished for a better squad. They include, in order of their playing positions, Asmir Begovi, Michael McGovern, Jimmy Glass, Viv Anderson, Benot Assou-Ekotto, Timm Klose, Radhi Jadi, Steven Caldwell, Neill Collins, Mark Roberts, Liam Rosenior, Jimmy Dunne, Jordan Stewart, Richie Ryan, Raffaele De Vita, Rhema Obed, Rohan Ricketts, David Low, Xander McBurnie, Leroy Lita, Rudy Gestede, Frdric Gounongbe, Niall Quinn, Charlie Sheringham, Hugo Colace and Lewis Baker. Id also like to thank those who discussed their experiences, but wished to remain anonymous.

Id like to express a huge sense of gratitude to everyone else who contributed including, in no particular order, Dan Lowen of LEVEL, Gary Mellor of Beswicks Sports, Rob Shield of Evolve Sports Management, @WeahsCousin, the guys at FootballTransferLeague.co.uk, Tom Hopkinson of the Sunday Mirror and the Sunday People, Paul Tomkins, John Jerrim, Declan Varley, Sean Cummins, Ben Wright of Cicero Group, Jim White of Sky Sports & talkSPORT (for his contribution and kindly penning the foreword), Jonas Baer-Hoffmann of FIFPro, Dr Martin Roderick, Kevin Harris-James of Harrison Clark Rickerbys, Raffaele Poli of CIES, Jon Smith, Thomas Lintz of TransferMarkt.co.uk, LFEs Simon Williams, Professor Simon Chadwick of the University of Salford, the guys at Playonpro, Lorna McClelland and Clifford Bloxham. I sincerely apologise if Ive missed anyone.

I also wish to acknowledge Emmett Murtagh, David Sheehan, Colin Howard, Duncan Olner, Derek Hammond, Cath Harris, Ivan Butler, Jim Burke, Rory Callan, George Kinane, Aidan Homer, Chris Clarke, Martin McGahon, Eamonn Murphy, David Moran, David Faul and Paddy Faul for their time and help with the project. Will Reilly was, again, of enormous assistance in helping to get the book into shape in its closing stages. A special mention too for my aunt Carmel and Patrick Kavanagh for some much-needed inspiration just when I needed it most.

One person I thought about a lot while writing this was Ken Meegan. You are sorely missed, Ken.

Paul and Jane Camillin at Pitch Publishing were a joy to work with again and I sincerely appreciate their continued support.

My parents, Tom and Eileen, have been a huge support not just while writing this book, but throughout my life. I am extremely grateful for everything they do for me. And thanks to my brothers David and Thomas, who I probably forced to play Team Tactix with me for months on end.

The book took a few transfer windows to research and write, during which time my wife, Tracey, was a shining light as always. Its difficult to convey how much I appreciate her patience, support, sacrifices and love. I couldnt have done it without her. And, finally, thanks to my amazing children Daisy, Noah (a budding goalkeeper who would like to thank Asmir Begovi for his words of encouragement!), Joel and our new arrival Alice for their inspiration and, more importantly, just for being themselves. Im a very lucky man.

R ICHIE Ryan put down his phone and surveyed the boxes littered throughout the kitchen of his Jacksonville home. Inside, was his life. His familys lives. The life of a footballer. Four months after moving, theyd still remained unopened. There was no point opening them now, either. He was on the move again. They were on the move again. This time to Miami FC. The life of a footballer.

When you think about it, it is a bit mad, he reflects.

Richies career began at Sunderland, where he made his debut in the Tyne-Wear derby, and has taken him to 11 clubs across five countries. Now 33, hed just joined United Soccer League (USL) club FC Cincinnati when we spoke.

Thats the first time anyones ever asked me that, he laughs, when I question him about the instability of a footballers life.

In the Premier League and the Championship, a lot of players sign three-, four- or five-year contracts so they have that stability. But I think in the lower leagues in England, Scotland, Ireland and over here in America, players generally just sign one-, maximum two-year contracts, he says. So, it is hard to have that stability, especially for players with families, wives and kids. Do you up and move the family for the sake of a year or two or do you keep them where they are and go on your own? That can then bring other difficulties, being away from the family. Theres definitely a lot to take into consideration.

He admits that it is difficult to put down roots when your immediate future is at the whim of your current employer. I can speak from experience. The longest I spent at any one club was Sligo Rovers and that was three and a half years, says the Irishman. You cant really build any foundations if youre going to be moving around that much. Even since Ive got to North America Im at my fourth club since February 2014. Its for different circumstances, and not through choice, that Ive moved around so much, but its just the joys of the transfer market anything is possible.

When Belgian winger Adnan Januzaj reportedly spent almost 3m on a Cheshire mansion in 2017, he didnt expect Manchester United to sell him to Real Sociedad just days later. His costly investment highlights the precarious nature of life as a footballer, yet I was still surprised to speak to many players who rented rather than bought property for this very reason.

Sometimes youre better off buying a house but theres no point in me and the family buying a house somewhere where we might be for a year and a half or two years, says Richie. I could have gone to Jacksonville and bought a house and been there for four months, been left with a house there and not knowing what to do with it and the hassle of looking after it. When you think about it, it is difficult to set up home because you cant really afford the possibility of being on the move again when the next transfer window comes.

Mark Roberts has had a much-travelled career since starting out at Crewe Alexandra. Taking in 12 clubs, the short-term contracts and uncertainty in the lower leagues in England led him to rent for much of it.

When I left Fleetwood Town, my wife and I were getting married that summer in France, and then went for our honeymoon to Vietnam and Cambodia, says the defender and non-executive director at the PFA. So, we were away for three weeks but Id already signed for Cambridge United. As I didnt know anyone at the football club you realise youre putting a needle in a map and hoping that you find a place that youd choose to live had you explored the area properly. I had been to Cambridge to visit but I didnt really know the area. So I was in my hotel room on honeymoon Googling places, thinking, God, I need to get this sorted as Ill be back to pre-season soon. Youre hoping that the place that you choose is going to be right for you, and when you have a family, for them too. From my experience, there are people at clubs wholl suggest areas but its left to you to go and find that place to live.

He regrets not investing in property earlier in his career but believes the insecurity of the profession makes it a risky proposition. Hindsights a wonderful thing, he reflects. I rented at Stevenage for the whole of the time I was there but ended up sharing the flat I lived in with a friend who was also from the north-west. When you see how property prices escalated I wish Id bought. If Id bought then it would have been something that would have been very profitable for me on a personal level. But you never know your future in football and I didnt expect to stay there for the length of the time I did when I signed there on that first day.

Its a decision youve got to make based on the facts at that time. When I moved down to Cambridge with my wife we were renting again. Id signed a two-year contract with an option of a third year so we were both throwing ourselves into it as a couple. We then found out, on the plane home from our honeymoon, that my wife was pregnant. And quite quickly when we moved down we found out we were having twins so that changes the whole family dynamics completely. We decided to rent down in Cambridge as we had bought a property together back in the north-west, while I played for Fleetwood Town. Obviously, that meant renting out our home and sorting that all out too while youre living and playing at the other end of the country.