Holding on to a club's best players

Every time Darren Bent scores a goal, I celebrate of course. We haven't really had a striker of his quality since Sir Clive Mendonca (Andy Hunt was never really tested at Premiership level before he fell ill). But then, I think, has that increased the chances of him going to a big club in the summer, especially if he is called up for England duty (as he should be as I think he is far better than man mountain Crouch who is likely to be preferred).

The New York Addick has posed the interesting question, would we let him go if the price was right so we could buy a number of other players? With reluctance, I think. And the price is never likely to be as high as fans think it should be. Equally one cannot stop a player developing his career.

The same dilemma has recently faced Step 5 non-league club Leamington. Richard Adams has been one of the club's top scorers. He has scored 58 goals in his two seasons with the club (I know because I pay £1 a goal) including a real stormer from distance against League 1 Colchester (admittedly the only goal in a 9-1 defeat).

Now Nationwide North team Redditch United have come in for him, allowing him to move from Step 5 to Step 2 of the non-league system. This is a big chance for him with a much bigger pay packet than the £30 a week he gets at Leamington. All that is needed at that level is seven days' notice and there is no transfer fee. So the Brakes have had to let him go with their blessing.

At least I have a framed and signed picture of him in action to keep as he forges his way up the non-league system. Potentially, he is probably as good as some players in League 2: indeed we have players who have played in League 2 or even in the Scottish Premiership. Other teams we play against in the Midland Alliance have ex-Premiership players (and the quality shows). Chance plays a big role in the fate of a player.