WITH Russell Howarth moving to Tranmere Rovers earlier this week, it seems timely to talk about the state of the transfer market.

First of all though, the fact Russell has now left us should not be a shock to anyone.

It has been on the cards now for the last 12 months and Russell has been getting increasingly frustrated because of the form of Alan Fettis.

You can understand that and all along we made it clear we would not stand in his way.

I think the last six months or so have certainly been a test of character for Russell, which will hopefully stand him in good stead for the future.

We have allowed him to go for trials to several clubs in the hope that something would happen for him but, after the Wolves situation, Russell will probably admit that he made one or two wrong decisions and was probably left wondering if he was ever going to get the move he wanted.

Now he has got a move it is up to him to kick on and show the potential everybody thinks he has got. His future is in his hands.

We have done all we can to help him, and having had a chat with him over the weekend I think he realises that.

The fact it has taken almost 12 months to reach a satisfactory conclusion has perhaps been symptomatic of the state of the transfer market at the moment.

At any other time a deal would probably have been done a while ago but the last 12 months have given a clear indication that the transfer market is drying up.

It is public knowledge a five-figure deal was agreed with Tranmere, which may seem disappointing to some given that Russell is a member of the England Under-21 squad and has featured for his country at all youth levels.

But in light of the state of the transfer market, we have probably done well to get any money for Russell, which is in effect money for potential.

Without giving too much away about the deal, there are other clauses.

If he does go on to play plenty of games for Tranmere then we will benefit. And if he gets a move from Tranmere when the transfer market is in a more buoyant state then we will get money as well.

Quite simply though, with the fall-out from the collapse of ITV Digital still lingering there is simply no money around for clubs to have massive squads - and that is just from a wages points of view, never mind actually buying players.

Throughout football, clubs are having to be more cautious, more realistic and more careful and if they don't then their clubs may not exist.

With the market the way it is, it begs the question could Russell's move to Tranmere be the last York City player to be sold for quite some time?

The whole face of football is changing. Clubs are simply not buying players any more.

It is obviously a concern.

After all, we are a club that has built its reputation on developing good, young players and then selling them as a matter of survival.

In the past, it has kept the club going but because of the state of the transfer market that avenue has perhaps been closed

However, I do not think it is all doom and gloom.

I think I have touched on it before when I say it does make it more of a level playing field, clubs can no longer buy success.

That has perhaps been proved by how the Division Three table looks at the moment. It is all very tight and there's little between the clubs which makes for an exciting competition.

And just because clubs are not buying it shouldn't stop clubs producing young players.

With clubs not able to buy, more young players will now get their opportunity and that means clubs, such as ourselves, with a good youth policy will be in a good position to take advantage.

And from my own point of view, it is not as hard for me to deal with as it is for other managers.

While I have been here we have been reducing the wage bill constantly and in those three years I've not bought a player anyway.

Furthermore, while clubs are reducing their squads to cut costs that means more and more players become available and smaller clubs can take advantage.

Football and the transfer market is rapidly changing, in this country at least, and those clubs that can get to grips with the changes quickly could still use it to their advantage.

Updated: 12:30 Thursday, November 07, 2002