Clubs exchange Tweets about finalising transfer documents

Yesterday the loan transfer of Jake Thomson from Newport County to Lincoln City heralded a remarkable milestone for Football Social Media. The 23 year old midfielder has his move to Lincoln confirmed on the Newport County Twitter feed around midday on the 2nd January 2013, however, it soon became apparent that the club had jumped the gun and had yet to finalise all the proper documentation. What happened next was something not seen before in football.

Lincoln, rather than contacting Newport via phone, email or in person – decided to use Twitter to communicate with the club and let them know that they should “get the paperwork signed and sent to us so the move can be completed” in a tweet from their official club account.

Whilst many football fans have commented that the exchange was deeply unprofessional by Lincoln to discuss the details of the transfer so publicly, it certainly is a sign of how times have changed.

Recently, we reported that football clubs around the world have a staggering 46 million followers combined across 1,551 clubs. This latest interaction just goes to show how Social Media is revolutionising the game and making it more transparent for fans. As we start the transfer window – it is now common practice for transfer tips, confirmations and opinions to be spread across club officials, journalists and players on Twitter. Whether this latest milestone is a positive for the clubs, it certainly does provide fans with an insight into some of the daily routines and issues many clubs at all levels face.