I think you can sign them but they cannot play until the window reopens. This happened to Keane when he went to Celtic, he couldn't play until January even though he signed in Nov / Dec.
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Yeah but that was an international transfer English FA to Scottish FA. We signed Paisley after the deadline as he had been made free agent
Roberts retired a couple of years ago, so it's very unlikely that Brighton still hold his registration.. I'd be pretty sure that he'd be available to play immediately, if Derry were to sign him.
Not sure it'd be quite as impressive a signing as is made out.. Just checked his stats and he only made about 130 appearances in the 12 years before his retirement, most of those with lower level clubs..
To sign an out of contract player after the transfer window closes the player has to be uncontracted when the transfer deadline closed. This is why you see loads of players who have been unable to get a transfer being made out of contract just before the deadline ends.
to the best of my knowledge he played premiership with QPR...... he has to be registered as part time because he got a bad injury a few years ago and claimed off his insurance......
that's tony roberts you';re thinking of. he was with QPR, and he is currently playing for dagenham and redbridge on a part-time contract due to his insurance pay-out when he was forced to retire professionally.
ben roberts is best remembered for roberto di matteo's shot going straight over his head in the opening seconds of the 1997 FA cup final