TRANSFER deadline day with only one signing to report on sounds easy, right? Wrong.
As I found out, it does not matter whether Oxford United announce a new player at 11pm or not – the marathon shift goes long into the night, even creeping into the early hours.
That is despite knowing that the only arrival, Djavan Anderson, was on the cards early in the day.
Transfer deadline day LIVE: All the updates from Oxford United
It has been a strange window at United. The club have kept their targets close to their chest, with few rumours leaking out – and that is no bad thing.
There was a long fallow period at the start, before five players arrived in 11 days before the start of the season.
The only ones to follow in August were Lewis Bate and Kyle Joseph, with the latter signing three weeks ago.
Even on deadline day, when the transfer machine always accelerates, Macauley Bonne was the only link that did not materialise.
But it is clear they have missed out on several targets, as Karl Robinson himself admitted.
The spread of summer signings looks reasonable: one goalkeeper, a right back, two centre backs, a central midfielder, three wingers and a striker.
Admittedly, two of the wide players are injured and the other, Jodi Jones, was expected to go out on loan yesterday.
We hoped the U’s would add a left back and another forward to their list of new arrivals, but it was not to be.
READ MORE: Oxford United sign Lazio right back
United announced 11pm signings on the previous two January deadline days and their hunt for multiple targets raised hopes of a repeat.
Instead, Anderson proved to be the only deadline-day deal.
United do not have a bad squad – far from it – however it is a little top-heavy.
Whether they announce any belated deals or not, a run of results would be timely to restore positivity after an anti-climactic deadline day.