The Adam Chapman contract saga

So what is happening with Adam Chapman's contract?

The normal situation is that a player's contract will expire on 30 June on any particular year, and then the player is a free agent to move without transfer fee or compensation.

Under 24 players

However, for players under 24 (at 30 June), there are rules to protect the club, to compensate for contributing to his training and development.

If the club makes a 'not less favourable' contract offer, and that is turned down, the club is entitled to compensation if the player moves elsewhere.  (Not less favourable being basically the best year from his previous contract excluding signing on fees).

So what happens after 30 June if the player turns down the contract offer?

1 - the club enters into a new full contract with the player.

2 - non-playing: The club continue to pay his basic wages under the existing contract, and are still entitled to a Compensation fee.  The player is treated as 'Unemployed', meaning he can sign for another club outside of the usual transfer windows.  The player is not subject to club discipline and regulations.  After the first day of the season, if the player has not moved elsewhere without good reason, the club can stop paying him, and still be entitled to compensation.

3 - playing: The club enter into a week-to-week arrangement, under the same terms as his existing contract, and subject to club rules and regulations. So long as he is still paid, the club is still entitled to compensation if he moves elsewhere. 

4 - stop paying him under (2) above, at which point the player is a free agent.

5 - stop paying him under (3) above, at which point the player is a free agent, but cannot sign for another club until the next transfer window.

What compensation is due?

This perhaps the hardest to work out.  The Football Compensation Committee take into account

1: any costs incurred by either of the two clubs in operating a Football Academy or Centre of Excellence, in particular the cost of providing for students:- living accommodation; training and playing facilities, staff, education; kit; medical; matches; and any other incidental costs

2: the following criteria:- status of the two clubs; age of the player; transfer / compensation fee paid by the transferring club; length of time player was at the club; terms of the new contracts offered by both clubs; playing record; and substantiated interest from other clubs.

So where are we at now?

The club offered an initial contract which was turned down, all part of normal negotiations.

The club offered an improved contract which has also been turned down.

The club have said they are at stalemate now, with the club unwilling to increase its offer, and Chapman not wanting to reduce his demands.  Because of the value of the Compensation due (OUFC paid a transfer fee to Sheffield United, and also incurred costs in training and development), he will not be released on a free. 

So Chapman will continue to be paid under his old contract, either playing (or not), until he either moves or signs a new contract.
[edit: club statement: "Adam has clearly stated in discussions that he remains fully committed to the club and wants the opportunity to earn the level of contract he feels he deserves.  Once his existing agreement expires at the end of this month we will discuss with Adam about entering into an agreement whereby he continues playing on his existing financial package as per Football League regulations."]
So it seems Chapman / the club will be taking option 3, playing on a week-to-week contract, hoping to prove he is worth what he says, or to attract another club to sign him instead.  

A day in Morecambe

Oxford United have only visited Morecambe twice.  Once in the Conference to their old Christie Park ground, and last year back in the football league to the Globe Arena.  Both games were 3-0 victories to United. 

This year we booked our train tickets well in advance, and to make sure I was on the same trains as the Barking mob, I had an early start at 7:02 from Guildford station. 

I left home just before 6:30, and rather than walk 10 minutes to London Road station for an hour into London with no newspaper or coffee, I instead opted for the 25 minute stroll to the main station for a 45 minute journey to Waterloo.  At this early hour for me, and being December, it was still pitch black, the stars were out, and it was a full moon too.  Surprisingly there was little traffic or activity at that time in the morning.  I did spot "laughing man", a 50 year old man who drinks in the evenings in a pub near the station, lives at home with his mother and has a Sid James type cackle which you can hear from 100 yards, walking with purpose along the Upper High Street - it is a mystery where he was off too, or where he had been at that time in the morning. 

Arriving at the station, at least Costa Coffee was open, and so I caught the train to Waterloo.  From there it was a simple tube journey along the Northern Line to Euston.  At Euston, there were a few other fans on their journeys North: Wolves fans off to Old Trafford; and the lesser spotted Stevenage fans were off to Preston, wearing "bah humbug" Christmas hats.  

The Virgin Pendolino to Glasgow is a nine carriage train, however the first four are first class, with barely a handful of people in each.  The last five are standard class, fairly crammed, and as usual, coach C is where the pre-booked tickets are allocated, next to the buffet car.  For a 'bargain' price of £15, you could upgrade to first class, but for a bag of peanuts, water, railway tea or coffee, and a bit more space it was hardly worth it.  On the 8:30 at least there was space to move from designated seats so we could travel up together, with one of the Stevenage Boro fans a few seats behind.  As we were arriving at Preston, it emerged that the other handful of Stevenage fans had sent someone off from coach D to find the odd one behind us, but had given up looking at the buffet car and left him to himself.  

Billy Ray Cyrus at Lancaster station

Just before 11 we arrived at Lancaster, with half an hour to wait for the train to Morecambe.  There wasn't time to leave the station, so we contented ourselves with ground spotting of Lancaster City from Platform 1, wondering if hopping over the fence would count as a ground 'visited'.  Instead, there was just an 80's mullet to spot waiting for our train.  The train to Lancaster was a simple two carriage Northern Rail service, and Morecambe is barely three miles away.  After stopping at Bare Lane - a strange village which seemed to have nothing more than houses, a corner shop, and a tanning shop, we were on our way to Morecambe.  The Guard asked if we were departing at Morecambe, and advised us to leave from the rear carriage.  Seconds later it was announced that Morecambe was the final destination, so why asked where we were getting off I don't know.  

Cafe not open today

Morecambe itself is a mixture of a town.  From the station there is a retail park of Morrisons, sports shops, Frankie & Bennies.  The town centre seems quite run down, and further out is a mixture of bungalows and caravan parks.

Barrow is over there somewhere

Eric

  However, the council have spent some money on artwork: a path to the seafront with quotations built into the pathway;  sculptures of seabirds on a roundabout; and of course the Eric Morecambe statue on the seafront.  Just like last year, we posed for pictures, before heading off for refreshments.  The seafront, unsurprisingly at this time of year was pretty much deserted, and so onto Wetherspoons it was before getting a taxi to the ground.










  

play off final

The Globe Arena is only about a mile from the old ground, and a mile from the station, but is in fairly open surroundings, rather than hemmed in by houses and restricted access.  This year they allowed away fans into the clubhouse bar, which had an impressive photo mural of their play-off final victory against Exeter to take them into the football league in 2006/07.  Alongside was a bookie taking bets on both home and away sides, and I invested in £5 on Peter Leven to score first.  

We entered the ground just before kick-off, pausing briefly for 'meat pie, gravy and mushy peas', which took up the first 15 minutes of the match.  The Globe is not that much bigger than Christie Park, but has a good sized main stand with executive boxes, bar and function rooms.  The stands either end of the pitch were both covered steep terraces, with a shallow uncovered home terrace to our right opposite the main stand.  Morecambe is stuck in the heartland of Northwestern football, with the Manchester, Liverpool clubs, Blackpool, Wigan, and so on all within easy reach to watch the game at a higher standard.  Unsurprisingly, the crowd was less than 2,000 - however the Morecambe fans have a band of trumpet players and drummers to keep them entertained.  

Main stand

The match itself ended 0-0, but we did see Anthony Tonkin and Tom Craddock play a full 90 minutes following injuries and illness, and Adam Chapman also made a welcome cameo appearance in the final few minutes.  

After the game, with frozen and numb toes from the cold, we headed back by taxi to the station (£5 for six of us), stopping for freshly fried cod and chips at the amusement arcade (£4.95), catching the train back to Lancaster, and then waiting for the fast train back to Euston.  With a few strong coffees inside us, we also bumped into a group of 10 or 15 Oxford fans off on their way back to Blackpool for a Saturday night out.  

Finally our Euston train arrived, and this time we first had a ranting Wigan Athletic fan and his son for company - his point being that he was a loyal supporter, and how everyone else from Wigan was either a Manchester or Liverpool fan.  [Wigan had won 2-1 away at West Brom, so what he was doing on our train was a mystery].  He departed, and we then had Andy, a Portsmouth fan.  He lives in a road backing onto Fratton Park, and was complaining how for the Southampton match coming up, he has to have a written letter from the police allowing him to leave his front door and walk along the street.  [The Southampton fans are being bussed in].  Like us, he books all his tickets in advance, and his tickets from Portsmouth to Burnley were £19.50 each way.  Mine from Guildford to Morecambe were £16.50 each, and those from London were £14.50 each.  Compared to an on the day price of around £80 return, it is baffling why the train companies insist on their four nearly empty 1st class carriages on our service.  

We (or rather the Barking mob) reminisced about old clashes with Portsmouth, and away trips all over the country.  Arriving into Euston just after 9:30pm, Andy and I rushed for the Northern Line to Waterloo - getting their just before the 10pm fast train to Guildford and onto Portsmouth harbour.  

Finally at 10:33pm I was back in Guildford, with just the short walk back up the hill and home.   Guildford has "night angels": hi-vis jacket wearing do-gooders who look out for clubbers and other young adults in any difficulty at the end of their nights.  As I crossed at the pelican crossing at the the bottom of town, a young man walked up to the night angels, congratulating them on a fabulous job, marvellous service, before getting to the point and asking if they had a cigarette lighter.  They did, sparked up his cigarette, and all went off happy.  

Finally at around 11pm I was home, some 16 hours after starting off and 560 miles later - all for a Nil Nil draw. 

Luton Oxford February 2010

This was the game fans had been looking forward to all season from the moment the fixture list was announced. After the home victory, the anticipation had been rising all year. The threats and intimidation on the Outlaws site. Scarfers and casuals, young and old : all equally at risk. The weeks before the game rumours and talk galore:- trains to Dunstable, what time at St Pancras?, reconnaisance trips, coaches and minibuses.

The day of the match, the Outlaws "spotters" updating from every pub, pizzahut and service station within a 10 mile radius. The "it's kicked off in town with a glassing" thread at around 3pm.

Getting off the train in Luton: police everywhere, horses, riot vans - from about 5 different forces. Kebab shops, gold shops, sari shops, Halal butchers, an old cinema converted into an evangelical church. Small groups of lads circling the shops and parades near to the ground, making frantic phone calls.

The walk down Beech Hill Path to the away entrance. Hoodies lurking in the shadows. Rows of dilapidated terraced houses, huge piles of rubbish and bin bags in the front gardens, more rubbish and an old toilet in the back garden could be seen through a broken down panel fence.

Getting stopped and checked for tickets before entering a police cordon just to get in the queue to get in the ground. A strange entrance, squeezed in between the houses on the Oak Road. Another half hour wait, everyone gets searched before getting into the ground. Climbing what seemed to be an old steel fire escape steps to get into the Oak Road stand.

Constable, Murray, Cook and 2 others who were not in the squad sat in the segregation netting at the top to sit right up close to where the wildest Luton fans would be in the Main Stand. Were they sure about this?

Remnants of the old plastic pitch still being used surrounding the pitch. The "Executive Stand" being ludicrously small with a few boxes and 2 rows of seats in front, netting high above the stand to stop balls from straying into the gardens behind. An old goalmouth stacked up in the remains of the terracing to one side in the Kenilworth Road End.

Long before kick-off, songs ringing around the Oak Road end, a traditional deep terrace with a low metal barrel shaped roof, although now all seater, not that anyone was bothering to sit down.

Adam Chapman taking out Happy Harry the Luton mascot with a slide tackle from behind to win the ball. Harry offering Chappers an opportunity to discuss matters further outside.

Players warming up and taking pot shots at the goal in front of us. A woman getting smacked in the mouth by a loose shot. The programme seller positioned right behind the goal net, with every shot into the goal threatening to burst the back of the net and whack him on the back or the head.

The players and managers and coaches emerging from the main stand, before crossing the whole pitch over to the dug-outs by the Executive Stand.

The first 20 minutes played at full pelt by both sides. Stevenage going behind at Mansfield to put Oxford back at the top of the league. Luton going close with a shot against the post, quickly followed by Clarke punching another away with one fist.

People still arriving into the ground half an hour in. The strange feeling in recent years of being at an away ground more than outnumbered by the 7,000 home fans, all squeezed into a ground where the stands are no more than a few yards from the pitch, three sides all with low rooves to echo the noise around. EIEIO; my garden shed; sh!t ground no fans; Chrissy Wilder's yellow army; Give me an O; We are top of the league; Chris Wilder My Lord; Oh Swindon Town; Small town in Watford.

Luton fans: Bounce in a minute; Pussi Pussi. They had lots more songs, but we didn’t hear any over the sound of our own. 

Half time entertainment as ex-United player Nelthorpe warms up in front of the Oxford fans, firing a few loose shots into the crowd.

Deering off for Matt Green, who was soon sending the U's fans into delirium with 15 minutes to go. Police immediately sent to the front of the Oak Road stand to watch for any trouble from the Oxford fans. The delight of shouting down the Luton fans: Top of the League; Staying Down.

The Luton fans then pushing and fighting amongst themselves. Were there Oxford fans in amongst them? Was the bloke with the white hat/hoodie leading it? Steward and police in riot gear trying to restore order. A riot helmet being removed and thown around the crowd by the Luton fans in the top corner.

Chapman on for Potter, then with 2 minutes of normal time, Fran Green on for Midson - surely the time for Creighton at the back?

And then 5 minutes of injury time at 9:33. A draw might be fair as Luton had deserved their chances. One goal down from a corner. The Luton fans go wild, checking our watches at 9:38, surely that must be it. The ref checks his watch three times, but there is time for one last corner.

Keane scores direct from the corner with the last kick of the game, the Luton fans roar and bounce. The Oxford are in stunned silence, looking at each other in amazement, as if a small child has just kicked us in the shins and stolen an ice cream and run off.

Was it as bad as relegation against Leyton Orient? Then it just seemed inevitable as a win was needed and we were only drawing as the end of the match approached.

As bad as the play-off semi final 2nd leg against Exeter? After Duffy had fluffed a one-on-one with the goalie, again it seemed it would never be our night.

As disappointing as the game against Northwich? It ended that the play-offs were out of our hands anyway, and the defeat was a disappointing end to a cracking 2nd half of the season.

So yes, it did seem worse than all three of those games. The worry that not only are Stevenage and York breathing down our necks, but Luton might be up for the challenge too.

Slowly waiting to file out in silence, not even looking over to see the ecstatic Luton fans, the players celebrating as if they had won the title in one match.

An Oxford beanie hat dropped in the seats, or had it been thrown their in despair? 

Alsations and dog handlers in every other front garden on the Oak Road. The slow walk back to the station through the stationary traffic and Luton scarfers. Car horns beeping from all around town. Throngs of people from both sets of fans walking alongside each other in the same direction so you were not sure who was from which side. The wail of police sirens as the police vans made their way to the station.

Overall, a memorable night.