Southend United Football Club have today issued the following statement regarding George Friend:
On Monday last week the Club agreed to extend George Friend's loan with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The paper work was then submitted to the Football League who subsequently advised that the newly adopted rules (June) relating to HMRC prevented us from extending the loan until the HMRC position was sorted.
The Football League's reading of the new rules did not reflect that of the Club's Secretary who, having already agreed the position with Wolves, believed there was no reason to prevent an extension of the loan.
Whilst the Football League wish to be helpful this was the first potential challenge to the new ruling - something Southend United Football Club did not wish to do. The Club has a good working relationship with the Football League, which it wishes to maintain.
However, with so many players out through injury and others unavailable through loans that cannot be recalled (Alex Revell and Kevin Betsy) we continued to discuss the position with the Football League's executive and it was not until Friday lunchtime that the Football League reverted to us in writing that the loan extension would not be sanctioned until we sort out the Club's position with HMRC.
By this time George Friend was already travelling with the squad to Carlisle.
Once the Club has settled its case with HMRC we will speak further with Wolves and for whilst the original loan was only requested for one month George has performed well and the manager would now like to keep the player for at least a further month.
In between we will stay in touch with Wolves and if the opportunity to resign George presents itself then if appropriate we will do so at that time.
