News Archive - January 2011

UK work permit granted to US sports star

19 Jan 2011 | Posted by Carl Thomas

A UK work permit has been granted to US forward Robbie Findley, allowing him to move a step closer to joining Notting Forest football club.

The player has already agreed a two-year contract with the club after his contract with Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake expired at the end of the season, the Associated Press confirmed.

Findley had his initial application for a work permit rejected. However, Forest have since successfully appealed the decision.

The 25-year-old is now waiting to secure a visa from the US authorities before moving his football career to Britain.

However, Aston Villa have not been so lucky in their recent application for a UK work permit for Omar Cummings.

Aston Villa manager Gerrard Houiller had applied for a UK work permit to move Jamaican international player Cummings to the club following a month's training period.

"I see Omar getting better and better with every training session," said Houllier.

"I will make a decision about him soon," he added. "It will be a loan deal and we would need a work permit."

The rules regarding UK work permits for football players in England state that a player must be a part of a national team that is at or higher than 70th place in the FIFA rankings when averaged over the two years preceding the date of the application.

Jamaica has been placed in 71st and 72nd place over the last two years, narrowly missing the cut off point for Cummings.