CHRIS LAKEY Norwich City slashed the money paid to players' agents by more than two thirds last season.The Canaries - whose manager Peter Grant has been at war with a number of agents in recent weeks - spent £138,850 in the year up to the end of June - £86,850 in the first half and £52,000 in the second half of the season.

CHRIS LAKEY

Norwich City slashed the money paid to players' agents by more than two thirds last season.

The Canaries - whose manager Peter Grant has been at war with a number of agents in recent weeks - spent £138,850 in the year up to the end of June - £86,850 in the first half and £52,000 in the second half of the season.

The £52,000 worth of fees would all have been incurred during Grant's tenure, which began last October, and covers 21 different transactions - which works out at an average of just under £2,500 for deals covering signings and loans as well as contract extensions and cancellations.

While agents are still costing the Canaries thousands a year, the trend is a downward one - as it is across the Football League.

Figures for the previous year show City spent a staggering £506,500 in 12 months.

The current figures show 11 clubs spent more money on agents throughout the year than City - but the top two spenders, Birmingham and Sunderland, also happened to be the two teams who were promoted automatically.

Birmingham spent £321,000 on agents in the second half of the season, while Sunderland paid out £287,094.

Throughout the season, Sunderland spent the most on agents' fees, contributing £881,594 with Birmingham spending £841,150.

However, two figures stand out - Colchester didn't pay a penny to agents throughout the year, despite being involved in 17 transactions, while Ipswich paid out just £5,000.

Overall, Championship clubs spent a total of £7.53m last season - 88pc of the total in the Football League - on a total of 1,110 player transactions - 240 of which involved the use of agents.

Overall, Football League clubs spent 25pc less on agents' fees than for the same period the previous season, a trend that chairman Lord Mawhinney has urged member clubs to continue.

"I am encouraged that Football League clubs have spent less money on agents' fees over the last six months and I hope this pattern continues," he said.

"The League remains the only body of clubs that have committed to publishing their spending on agents' fees.

"By doing so, we are taking an admirable lead in terms of good governance in football."