Coventry striker Kyle Lightbourne officially became Bermuda's most expensive footballer yesterday when an English Football Association tribunal set his transfer fee from Second Division club Walsall at 500,000 ($825,000).

At a hearing at Wolves Football Club, which lasted one hour, the tribunal asked Lightbourne about his goalscoring record, why he wanted to leave Walsall and how he got to play in England.

"They also asked me what I thought was a good valuation fee for me and I said really that's not down to me but is up to the clubs to decide,'' Lightbourne disclosed.

The transfer fee appeared to satisfy both clubs who failed to agree on a fee after Walsall wanted as much as 750,000 for the 28-year-old Lightbourne, with Coventry offering 400,000.

According to Lightbourne, Walsall's asking price rose up to 1.2 million at the tribunal, though it was a figure they realised they would not get.

Walsall general manager Paul Taylor declined to confirm the fee that was set by the tribunal, saying that it would be revealed by the Football League today.

But when pressed further he did admit to being happy with what Walsall would receive for their top scorer.

"We're happy with it, we had a good hearing,'' said Taylor.

Lightbourne, too, believed Walsall would be happy as they will receive more based on the number of appearances Lightbourne makes for Coventry, as well as an additional percentage should Coventry sell him.

"Walsall definitely came out smiling at the end of the day, they got 500,000 up front,'' said Lightbourne, who is happy now that the hearing has put a closure to his transfer.

"All the ties I had with Walsall are basically finished. Now I feel like I'm settled in at Coventry and things are going quite well.

"As with all footballers, all we want to do is play football and forget about what happens off the field.'' Lightbourne's fee brings Coventry's summer spending to more than 2 million. Simon Haworth joined them from Cardiff for 500,000 while Egil Soltvedt joined from Rosenborg for the same fee and Magnus Hedman from AIK Stockholm for 600,000.

Swedish international defender Roland Nilsson, who formerly played in England for Sheffield Wednesday, moved to Coventry for 200,000 while the club picked up FC Copenhagen forward Martin Johansen on a free transfer.

Coventry also sold four players, including Eoin Jess to Scottish club Aberdeen for 650,000 and Peter Ndlovu to Birmingham for 200,000.