Tuesday 16 December 2014 16:09, UK
Nottingham Forest have been awarded the Sky Bet Transfer Fund prize of £250,000.
The Championship club was chosen at random from nine Football League clubs including Fulham, Cardiff, Leeds, Watford, Wigan, Huddersfield, Exeter and Southend.
Forest are currently under a transfer embargo due to a breach of the Championship’s Financial Fair Play rules, but can still use the prize money to pay the wages of players coming in on a free transfer or on loan.
Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey told Sky Sports: “It’s been great that our title sponsors Sky Bet and all 72 Football League clubs have come together, and it has seen a response from over 70,000 fans.
“Nottingham Forest will be very worthy winners and can use the money for loan fees or loan-players’ wages, but not for transfer fees.”
Former Scotland striker John O'Hare, a two-time European Cup winner with Forest, represented the Midlands club and picked up the award.
“Unfortunately there’s only one winner and we’re delighted to come out of the hat,” he said. “The club will be happy. I’m sure they’ll find a way of using the money on young players’ salaries, loans and things like that.
“It will help certainly in what is a very tough and competitive division. You need all the help you can get.”
Football League sponsor Sky Bet have opened the competition again, with fans earning tokens to help win their club £250,000 for the summer transfer window when they opt in and bet.
