"I think it's ludicrous for FIFA to get themselves involved at this level," on irate Keith told local press. "Since football started in this country, it's been about wheeling and dealing. Now they are taking away the flexibility clubs have."
The Football League has admitted defeat after a two year struggle against the restrictions. However FIFA's ruling now means clubs would not be able to register players from August 31 to January 1. The only players you can register are free agents.
"In terms of transfers and receiving money for players, I don't think it will affect us too much because we've not sold many on for fees. However, we rely quite heavily on loan signings and it will have a detrimental effect on us from that point of view.
The new ruling would have only hit City in the sale of Paul Mayo, but had the ban already be imposed we would be without Martin Carruthers (on loan at Cambridge - a move he also couldn't have made), Ritchie Hanlon and Craig Westcarr. Simon Weaver would still be a City player, and still be in the reserves. Whilst their are those would would take that swap, its still widely felt that the ruling is grossly unfair as such small transfers hardly have an impact in the footballing world on a European scale. However at the lower scales of the professional game it is something relied upon to survive. In the past players like Gareth Ainsworth may not have brought such good money to the club as their only window of oppotunity would have seen them out of contract.
Without money from him perhaps the club could not have pulled through some of the harder times.