The first £1,000 player - Alf Common
English striker Alf Common became the first player to break the £1000 barrier in February of 1905, a mere 12 years after the Willie Groves transfer saga. Middlesbrough signed the 25- year-old forward from Sunderland for the sum of exactly £1000, in an effort to avoid relegation from the first division.
In his debut game for Middlesbrough, Common scored a penalty which won the game for his team. It was their first away win in almost two years. Middlesbrough would go on to avoid relegation and stay in the first division.
Common scored 58 goals in 168 league games for the team which he would eventually leave at the age of 30, to go to Woolwich Arsenal.
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