Many years ago, there was no such thing as a 'free agent' in football, as the clubs held all the aces. Interested parties had to pay clubs a fee to sign a player, even if the footballer was out of a contract. That all changed in 1995 when Belgian footballer, Jean-Marc Bosman, won a case against RFC Liege, as the club held him back from a move to French club Dunkirk. Bosman's contract had expired in 1990, but both clubs couldn't come to an agreement. That left the player stranded and at the mercy of Liege. The legal battle lasted for years, but the Belgian finally won the case in 1995. The Bosman rule was birthed, but the player spent the prime of his career in court rather than on the...
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