Transfer window ain’t all glamour

The transfer window has been glamorised to such an extent in recent years that Sky could probably make the final day of January a pay-per-view event.

I can assure you as a player who has been involved, it can be one of the most frustrating times of your career. A year ago I had just returned to Blackburn from a loan spell at Ipswich and immediately made my intentions clear to them that I felt I didn’t have a future at the club and wished to cut ties completely and move on. That was despite Blackburn making a u-turn from their decision the previous summer that I was available for loan and touting my name around to anybody that would listen.

After Blackburn accepted my decision they were insistent they would receive a transfer fee for me, one which was totally unrealistic in my opinion. From that point on it was always going to be a long month filled with meetings with certain members of staff which, if I elaborated on the details, I think people would reckon I made up.