Tribunal

I have a question. Last time I saw a player without a club. On his transfer info page there were several clubs from England and Scotland interested signing him on free. Morecambe was also interested in signing him via a Tribunal. Does anybody knows what this means?

Well a tribunal is usually set up to settle a dispute between two clubs where one has signed a player on a free to which the other club is entitled a training compensation (e.g. Daniel Sturrige). But if the player is released by a club then they will be due no compensation whatsoever. The only way I can think of this happening was that Morecambe were looking at him as a free while he was still at his last club and they were entitled to compensation, but he has been released and Morecambe are still interested, but the notice hasn't changed.

Tribunal fees are payable when a player under 23 is out of contract but has been offered one of equal or greater value

if the player is under 23 and offered a contract, rejected it and left, and then another club comes in while he's a free agent and offer him a contract that was equal or less than the contract that was offered at the original club, the original club is entiltled to compensation

the thing with Crystal Palace and Totttenham about john bostock springs to mind, as well as Daniel Stuttridge