No major events that might have prompted the sale of a large number of players? Earthquake maybe? Nuclear War? Dammit, I just can't think of anything that may have happened around the time that the likes of Bassong were sold that might have almost forced the club to sell them.
Plus, what about, Tavernier, Perch, Best, Forster? Not to mention the shite we couldn't sell who saw out their contracts.