FA and Fifa to discuss extending emergency loans for extra season
- Published
Ravel Morrison helped QPR win promotion to the Premier League after joining on emergency loan last season
The Football Association will talk to Fifa this week about extending the emergency loan system which many lower league clubs believe is vital to their existence.
World governing body Fifa plans to end the system, which allows clubs to sign players outside of the two transfer windows, at the end of this season.
The FA hopes to persuade Fifa to extend emergency loans to the end of 2015-16.
Nearly 350 players have already been signed on emergency loan this season.
Only two of the 72 Football League clubs - Leeds and Reading - have not used the system so far.
Most emergency loans this season | |
|---|---|
Championship: | Blackpool (8), Rotherham (6), Brighton, Ipswich (5) |
League One: | Colchester, Yeovil (10), Notts County (8), Oldham (7) |
League Two: | Tranmere (12), Accrington (10), Hartlepool (9) |
It was introduced to help ease financial pressure on lower division clubs with smaller squads.
The FA has put forward a motion to raise and discuss the issue at Fifa's Executive Committee, external meeting, which begins in Zurich on Thursday.
It is hoped English clubs will be given an extra season to prepare for an eventual transfer system without emergency loans.
Fifa rejected a proposal to consider extending the emergency loan system on an ongoing basis at a previous meeting in December.
It is thought it wants to end the arrangement in favour of a standardised system across its members. Fifa refused to say why it wants to outlaw emergency loans when asked for clarification by BBC Sport this week.
History of the transfer window |
|---|
The present system was introduced for the 2002-03 season |
Brought in after agreement between Fifa and the European Commission |
Designed to preserve contractual stability for players and clubs, while allowing movement at certain times |
Before transfer windows, English clubs could trade players throughout the season until 31 March |
Emergency loans allow Football League and Conference clubs to sign players for a maximum of 93 days in two periods outside of the international transfer windows.
England Under-21s midfielder Ravel Morrison helped QPR win promotion to the Premier League after joining on emergency loan last season, scoring six goals in 15 league matches as they went up through the play-offs.
This season, players were eligible to move between 8 September and 27 November, and again from 9 February until 26 March.
All other transfers must be completed in two transfer windows, which take place during the summer and throughout January in English football. England is the only country which uses an emergency loan system.
Jack Butland played six matches for Championship promotion-chasers Derby earlier this season, helping them to four wins and keeping two clean sheets
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