Town will have to pay Tranmere compensation of £240,000 rising to £520,000 based on appearances and promotion for left-back Aaron Cresswell, this afternoon’s tribunal in Manchester has decided. The 21-year-old free agent joined the Blues in the summer, signing a three-year deal, with Rovers entitled to compensation as the Liverpudlian is under 24 and had been offered new terms by the League One club.
Having shelled out the initial fee the Blues will have to pay £45,000 after Cresswell makes 15, 30, 45 and 60 appearances, a further £100,000 should Town reach the Premier League this season or in the next two campaigns, plus 20% of any profit made from any future sale.
Tranmere chairman Peter Johnson, who was joined by his club’s chief executive Mick Horton, manager Les Parry and chief scout Dave Philpotts at the hearing, admitted to being disappointed by the figure: "Although it didn't meet our expectations I am pleased with the result of the tribunal.
"Aaron Cresswell is the sort of player who will fulfil their requirements and will no doubt appear in the 60 games we need to maximise the additional income."
Town boss Paul Jewell, who attended the hearing along with chief executive Simon Clegg, Cresswell himself and club secretary Sally Webb, said he was pleased to get the matter settled: "We didn't want to go to tribunal and we are glad it's done and dusted now.
"We are not unhappy with the verdict and I'm just pleased we can move on now because I think it was playing on the mind of Cressy a bit.
"The most important factor is that the lad is an Ipswich Town player and continues to develop as a player here.
"He's impressed everyone since he's been at the club and if he keeps working hard, then he has all the assets to become a top class player."
Clegg says the committee's decision is midway between Town's offer and what Tranmere were hoping for: "Like Paul says, I am disappointed that it went to a tribunal.
"We would have liked to have come to an agreement with Tranmere before but having presented our case, we are satisfied with the outcome.
"The decision falls near enough exactly in the middle of what Tranmere wanted and we offered," he continued.
The Football League’s tribunal procedure is run by the Professional Football Compensation Committee (PFCC), who based the figure on the costs relating to training and developing the player, Cresswell’s age and playing record, his time at Prenton Park, the two clubs’ status, the terms offered the defender by both sides, previous decisions made by the committee and interest from other clubs.