Queen’s Park fears over Aidan Connolly’s United move

Aidan Connolly’s move from Queen’s Park to his dad Paddy’s former Dundee United home could spark a row between the clubs as the Spiders are hoping that the Tannadice side pay a development fee this time after wriggling out of paying anything for full back Barry Douglas.

Connolly, who is 17 years old and leaving school this summer, has had an impressive first season in the Third Division and has told Queen’s Park he will snub advances from England to head north where his dad was a hero in the 1980s and 1990s.

Queen’s have not heard anything from United. However, when the SPL side recruited Douglas from them three years ago they offered a four-figure development fee before using a loophole caused by the Hampden side’s amateur status to avoid paying it.

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United chairman Steven Thomson has blanked calls from SFL board member Malky McKay on the subject since and Queen’s are hoping this time they receive a payment for the five years they have spent developing Connolly.

A spokesperson at the club said: “Other clubs are aware of the loophole but choose to pay us a development fee or make a donation to our youth set-up. Dundee United offered a fee and then never paid it, which was disappointing.”

“We thought it was ironic when their chairman was asked about their player Jonny Russell recently and was reported as saying ‘We have invested heavily in our youth set-up over the last few years and expect to receive a decent return on this investment when players move on’.”

“Hopefully he feels the same way about our youth development programme this time out.”