Quote: Bulliac "Didn't this fall through because he failed to get a British work permit? Strangely the French weren't so fussy.'"
Indeed.
And that followed Hetherington making such a huge song and dance about the disgraceful signing in the media that it made the national press, and I would not be at all surprised if such vitriol did not in some way influence the stance taken towards him and other RL players.
The same Hetherington, btw, who was strangely silent when the frogs showed they did not share the same opinions. All he could say, IIRC, was something to the effect of "I've already given my views"?
That was why IMO it was justice when Eastwood was subsequently delayed by the same process.
Lest we forget...