David Cuffley Norwich City spent almost ��m on agents' fees in the first half of the current season, it has been revealed.The latest Football League agents' fees report, issued today, shows that the Canaries committed �490,000 to agents between July and December 2008.

David Cuffley

Norwich City spent almost ��m on agents' fees in the first half of the current season, it has been revealed.

The latest Football League agents' fees report, issued today, shows that the Canaries committed �490,000 to agents between July and December 2008.

The figure covers a period in which City carried out 21 transactions - 14 new registrations or transfers, six loan deals and one updated contract.

The figure is more than three times as high as City's outlay in the same period last season, when they had to pay agents �155,200.

Derby County are the only Championship club to have spent more on agents in the first half of this season, shelling out �717,000.

Next come Norwich, with Birmingham third on �425,000. Ipswich spent �113,200 in the same period.

In total, Football League clubs paid agents �5.7m during the first half of the season, a drop of 28 per cent on the first half of the 2007-08 campaign.

Championship clubs accounted for 84 per cent of this total - some �4.8m. All 24 Championship clubs used agents, but Sheffield Wednesday paid the lowest total with just �5,000.

Out of a total of 578 transactions by Championship clubs, just 88 involved payments to agents.

A total of 24 League clubs did not spend a penny on agents.

Football League chairman, Lord Mawhinney, said: “Given the severe economic recession, it is encouraging to see these figure declining.”