Hi Neil,
I receive the item in my mailbox and can set them to available there in which case they're played, but if I don't do anything they don't get automatically made available. I've uploaded my save "Alan Foley - Newcastle.fm" where Joe WIllock and Nathan Patterson should be made available but don't. Earlier in the game players were definitely being made available but I don't know at what point that stopped.
Thanks,
Alan