Blackburn Rovers look set to find themselves at the centre of a test case which could change the face of British football forever.

Ewood keeper Shay Given, out of contract at the end of June, accepted a four-year deal with Newcastle yesterday and an independent tribunal will settle the transfer fee - if any.

For Newcastle plan to seek clarification on payment for out-of-contract players involved in domestic transfers under the Bosman ruling.

It could mean the end of fees being paid in British football for out-of-contract players. They can already move within the EU for nothing.

Rovers chairman Robert Coar immediately informed the Premier League and will await developments.

The club intend to go to tribunal and claim a fee, which is proceedure at the moment but if the transfer system is challenged and scrapped the implications for the game will be far reaching.

"This is not personal to Blackburn Rovers. It just happens that we are on the wrong end of it in this case," said Mr Coar.

"Someone, somewhere was going to challenge the system sooner or later. Now it looks as though it is going to happen and it is up to football to decide whether to fight it."

A Newcastle statement said: "Following the European Court of Justice ruling in the Bosman case, the requirement for the payment of a compensation fee at the end of a player's contract may be unlawful where the player moves between two British clubs.

"NUFC proposes to raise this issue before the independent tribunal."

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