Loven la vida loca

We may be accustomed to having to question the club's transfer policy on an almost daily basis, but for our deadline day dealings surely the hierarchy has to be applauded for once.

Not only did we just about manage to keep what's left of our squad intact, failing to flog retaining all of those players rumoured to be attracting interest at home and abroad (Kevin Nolan, Steven Taylor, Spiderman, Alan Smith, Bigger Lad etc), but we also succeeded in bringing Peter Lovenkrands, scorer of our final Premier League goal, back to St James'. The genius of the deal is clear when you consider that we released him back in May/June, pretending he wasn't wanted - so, at a time when every penny counts, we've saved ourselves a couple of months of wages!

OK, so all sarcasm aside, Lovenkrands could certainly be a useful addition. Sure he's another midfielder, but he is at least of a creative and attacking bent, and played up front at times last season, so could fill the breach while Lads Big and Bigger recuperate from injury.

The absence of defensive reinforcements remains a major concern, but thankfully "deadline" in "transfer deadline day" has the same rigidity of meaning as it does when used by Fat Mike, Llambiarse and associates of the various supposed bids for the club i.e. very little. As a Championship side, we're still able to strike loan deals for the next seven days - so there's still hope Hughton's pleas for new faces will be heeded.