Skip to main content
BBC SPORT / EBBSFLEET
Graphics Version | BBC News Home
Sport Homepage | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Disability Sport | Olympics 2012 | Other Sport... | TV/Radio Schedule | 606 | Sport Academy | Health & Fitness | Fun and Games | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish League | Scottish Premier | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Internationals | Europe | African Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Score on BBCi | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game | 606

18:27 GMT, Friday, 29 August 2008 19:27 UK

Supporters approve sale of player

By John Sinnott

John Akinde

Thousands of football fans have approved a transfer of a player by voting on the internet.

Members of myfootballclub.co.uk (MFC), who own Ebbsfleet United, have backed the sale of a striker John Akinde for £140,000 to an unnamed club.

Ebbsfleet's chief executive officer David Davis said: "82.3% of 7,452 members who voted said the club should accept the offer.

"We've been given clear instruction to carry out the supporters' wishes."

Davis added: "We do not foresee any problems, however, we cannot comment further until all the necessary steps have been taken to conclude the transfer in an appropriate manner.

"We still cannot say which club or finer points of the deal as all the paperwork needs to be done. It's anticipated all will be well and it'll be done well in time for the transfer deadline."

The website's 30,000 plus members had 48 hours to decide whether the club sell the highly rated 19-year-old striker, who has played fewer than 20 games for Ebbsfleet.

He has already been watched by Chelsea scouts and the club have turned down an offer for Akinde from League One side Peterborough.

606: DEBATE
Your thoughts on Akinde's transfer
The non-league side's manager Liam Daish and board has recommended the striker should be sold to allow him to play at a higher level.

Players who have recently turned professional like Akinde are unlikely to be earning more than £200 a week.

"It's quite historic," MFC founder Will Brooks told BBC Sport.

"The summer has been full of talk about Gareth Barry and Cristiano Ronaldo, but this transfer allows fans to have a say in whether it is right for the club."

Earlier this year, more than 20,000 MyFootballClub members, who had each paid £35 to provide a £700,000 takeover pot, took control of Ebbsfleet, with each fan receiving an equal share in the club.

Since then, members have voted on a number of major decisions affecting the club, including the price of season-tickets, but this is the first time a transfer will be decided by the team's fans.

MFC's membership now stands at more than 30,000 people, with members living in 122 countries.

"It has become very apparent that members are taking the responsibility of ownership very seriously and considering decisions made so far," said Davis.

In July, MFC members helped raised £20,000 to enable Daish to buy striker Michael Gash from Cambridge.



E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:

Striker Gash seals Ebbsfleet move (26 Jul 08 |  Ebbsfleet )
Fleet boss issues Akinde warning (21 Jul 08 |  Ebbsfleet )
Fans' website to seal Fleet deal (19 Feb 08 |  Ebbsfleet )
Fan website agrees club takeover (13 Nov 07 |  Ebbsfleet )
Fans close in on club takeover (02 Aug 07 |  Football )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Fleet fans' views on 606
BBC Radio Kent
Gravesend weather
BBC Sport Non League
Ebbsfleet United
MyFootballClub
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC SPORT: 

Sport Homepage | Football | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Motorsport | Boxing | Athletics | Snooker | Horse Racing | Cycling | Disability Sport | Olympics 2012 | Other Sport... | TV/Radio Schedule | 606 | Sport Academy | Health & Fitness | Fun and Games | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish League | Scottish Premier | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Internationals | Europe | African Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Score on BBCi | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game | 606

^ Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | Feedback | Help | ©