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Page last updated at 12:18 GMT, Thursday, 5 June 2008 13:18 UK

Fifa reprieve seals Hart pay-out

Joe Hart
Joe Hart's England cap has proved a nice little earner for Shrewsbury

Joe Hart will get his first England cap after all - and Shrewsbury Town can now look forward to a �500,000 windfall.

After a row over how many substitutes should have been used in England's 3-0 win in Trinidad on Sunday, Fifa now say the result can stand.

And that will finally trigger the add-on clause from Hart's move to Manchester City two years ago.

"I don't want talk about the money," said Town MD Rob Bickerton. "But the final outcome is good news all round."

Bickerton told BBC Radio Shropshire: "For a young player like Joe to think he'd won his first cap and then have it taken away must have been really hard to bear.

"But the accolade of a local lad getting his cap and the reflected glory for club and community is fantastic."

England made one more than the permitted maximum six changes, claiming they had received special dispensation to do so.

Fifa insisted that was not the case, and initially declared the match void - but have now said it was a mistake by the referee and will not downgrade the status of the match.

It means that England's four debutants - Hart, Dean Ashton, Phil Jagielka and Stephen Warnock - can now receive their first caps.


see also
Hall turns down Shrewsbury deal
04 Jun 08 |  Shrewsbury
Shrews get half million for Hart
02 Jun 08 |  Football
Shrews prepare for Hart windfall
12 May 08 |  Shrewsbury
Hart backed for long England stay
14 May 08 |  Shrewsbury


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