Acknowledges the roles of the principal actors in professional team-sports, i.e. the clubs as the basic unit, employing players and providing the main link with supporters; players' unions as representatives of the employees; leagues, as the competent organisers at national level and employers' representatives, together with the clubs; and the governing bodies as the guardians of the sport and the rules of the game; with all four elements working to ...[+++] achieve good health, integrity and solidarity within sport;

Agrees with the Commission that investment in young talented sportsmen and sportswomen is crucial for the sustainable development of sport and believes that there is a real challenge for the sports movement to ensure the local training of players; believes that the UEFA home-grown rule can serve as an example to other federations, leagues and clubs;

16. Recommends that players’ contractual and social rights be promoted and proposes in particularthat regulations dealing with players’ social status, in particular the term of contracts, the definition of the transfer window, possibilities for breaking a contract before its term and compensation for trainer clubs be defined after a social dialogue bringing together the bodies representing the players, clubs, leagues and UEFA; proposes a mechanism allowing trainer clubs to receive compensation calculated objectively on the basis of the costs actually incurred by the club to ...[+++]train the player concerned, the application of ‘resale rights’ to safeguard the principle of solidarity; recommends an in-depth consultation will all parties involved in football with a view to establishing ‘protected periods’ (during which players may not change clubs or where the number of transfers are limited);

19. Believes that the Charleroi case currently before the Court of Justice could seriously undermine the ability of small and medium-sized national football associations to take part in international competitions and threaten the vital investment in grassroots football made by national associations; in this respect, believes that clubs should release their players for national team duty without entitlement to compensation; encourages UEFA and FIFA, together with the European clubs and leagues, to reach an agreement on the conditions applicable to players who are injured while rep ...[+++]resenting their countries and on a system of collective insurance being put into place;

42. Welcomes the move by FIFPro (Fédération Internationale des Footballeurs Professionels), UEFA and the EPFL (European Professional Football Leagues ) to further players' rights by ensuring that players always are given written contracts with certain minimum requirements;

If you look at Keith Davey's overall batting average, you'd have to say he was a big-league player.