FOREST GREEN ROVERS have reported League Two outfit Cheltenham Town to the Football Association over an alleged illegal approach for winger Elliott Frear.
Rovers reacted angrily last month to local media reports that Cheltenham, last season’s National League champions, were close to signing the former England C man.
Chairman Dale Vince lashed out at the claims, describing them as “fiction” and added that Rovers had not spoken to any club about the winger’s availability.
Two weeks ago, Cheltenham chairman Paul Baker said his side did, in fact, agree a fee for the 25-year-old but pulled out of the deal of their own accord.
Rovers’ stance remains that no talks were held over a possible transfer of Frear, widely regarded as one of the best attacking players outside the Football League, and they have taken the matter to the governing body.
“After a series of local media stories – we’ve asked the FA to investigate what looks like an illegal approach for one of our players by Cheltenham Town,” chairman Vince told the Stroud News & Journal.
“The first we heard about this was when we read the claim that Cheltenham Town were ‘close to signing’ Elliott Frear.
“Then we read it had fallen through at the last minute and there have been several more articles since – most recently with CTFC chairman Paul Baker stating very clearly that they were in negotiations.
“We’ve been equally clear that there was no contact between the two clubs on the issue – and we are frustrated by the continual claims to the contrary attributed to Cheltenham Town in the media.
“Cheltenham Town claim to have made an approach, to have been in detailed negotiations with the player – and they have to take the responsibility for this. They either made that up or they broke the transfer rules.
“We don’t know which it is. But we expect the FA will get to the bottom of it.”
