17 Apr How Kamara orchestrated Schwarzer’s maiden Premier League transfer

Chris Kamara says champion Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer was “one of the best signings” he made as Bradford City manager.

Kamara, who managed the Bantams from 1995 to 1998, signed Schwarzer from German club FC Kaiserslautern in 1996 for a bargain price of £150,000 after his initial trial.

Schwarzer’s impressive performances during his short stay at Valley Parade caught the attention of Premier League club Middlesbrough who signed the Australian in February 1997.

Kamara’s reward for signing Schwarzer was a handsome financial gift from Bradford’s Chairman, Geoffrey Richmond.

“One of the best signings that I ever made as Bradford City manager was Mark Schwarzer from FC Kaiserslautern for £150,000 and I sold him to Middlesbrough three months later for £2.5 million," Kamara told SEN Breakfast.

“It wasn’t a bad signing at all. The Chairman gave me £15,000 – that’s how good he was.

"He gave me £15,000 out of his own pocket as a big thank you and said, ‘There’s no way in this world that we would ever have had a goalkeeper of the quality of Mark Schwarzer at this football club’.”

Schwarzer made 445 appearances in 11 years for the Boro before signing for Fulham on a free transfer in 2008.

The now 47-year-old became the first overseas to make 500 top-flight appearances in England.

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Listen to Chris Kamara's chat on SEN Breakfast in the player below