Window of Opportunity

After the transfer window closes for Football League teams, Nobes takes a look at some of the winners and losers in the January sales.

With the current economic climate impacting upon club's dealings, January's transfer window was largely made up of loan deals and free transfers.

Here's the round-up of some of what happened in each division.


In the Championship one of the most high profile moves did see striker Coventry striker Leon Best [right] join Newcastle for a fee as the Tynesiders looked to cement their position at the top of the Championship.

Struggling Ipswich replaced QPR-bound forward Tamas Priskin with Sunderland pair David Healy and Daryl Murphy.

Town centre back Alex Bruce has gone on-loan to Leicester, who have in turn sent striker DJ Campbell to reunite with former boss Ian Holloway at Blackpool.

Stephens Dobbie and Husband have also joined the Seasiders from Swansea and Hearts respectively, as the Bloomfield Road outfit look to strengthen their play-off push.

New Preston boss Darren Ferguson was busy trying to put his own stamp on things at Deepdale. He was reunited with midfielder Paul Coutts from old-club Peterborough and also snapped up winger Keith Treacy from Blackburn.

Both should help add creativity and guile to a North End side looking to mount a spring challenge for the Championship play-offs.

One side already ensconced in that top six are Sheffield United, and the Blades boosted their squad with the loan additions of two Premier League players in Toni Kallio and Nyron Nosworthy [left].

The latter won the division with Sunderland in 2007 and should help cover for the loss of centre half Matt Kilgallon who went in the opposite direction last month.

Scunthorpe completed the capture of Stockport captain Michael Raynes, and financially troubled Crystal Palace saw star player Victor Moses make a £2.5 million to Wigan, bringing in much needed cash for the Londoners.

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan turned to former club Celtic to sign Barry Robson, Willo Flood, Stephen McManus, Scott McDonald and Chris Killen, and Lee Miller joins the Riverside club from Aberdeen.

However, Boro will have to do without the services of prodigious winger Adam Johnson, who sealed a big money move to Manchester City.


In League One, it was a hectic January for ailing Stockport. In came the likes of Jemal Johnson, Jabo Ibehre, Richie Partridge, Danny Swailes and David Perkins [right], all bar the latter from Milton Keynes.

However, the relegation haunted Hatters lost the services of Oli Johnson and Michael Rose to Norwich, and top scorer Carl Baker joined Coventry.

Experienced midfield duo Gareth Ainsworth and Dean Keates signed up for Wycombe's fight against the drop. The Chairboys also snapped up Kevin Besty pemanently and Kevin McLeod on loan.

Fellow strugglers Gillingham made the loan signings of strikers Rene Howe from Peterborough and James Walker, who joins from Southend. The Shrimpers replacement for Walker is Scott Vernon from local rivals Colchester.

For their part, the U's made loan deals for John-Joe O'Toole, David Prutton, and Kayode Odejayi all permanent as Aidy Boothroyd's side challenge for the play-offs.

Stuttering Leeds aimed to get back on the promotion track with the loan capture of Birmingham's Gary McSheffrey [left] and turned Max Gradel's loan from Leicester into something more permanent.

Elsewhere, Dave Penney moved to boost his Oldham squad with the signing of Crystal Palace keeper Daryl Flahavan and Millwall frontman Jason Price, both on loan.

The top six chasing Lions had previously increased their options with Wolves's Darren Ward and Shaun Batt, on loan from Peterborough.



Struggling League Two outfit Grimsby were one of the busiest teams in the basement division.

As well as letting a few players players leave, Lee Peacock [right] has joined from Swindon and young defender Oliver Lancashire has also signed on loan with the Mariners.

The likes of Ashley Chambers, Michael Coulson, and Dean Sinclair have also joined Town on loan as the Lincolnshire club look to stave off relegation from the Football League.

There was plenty of activity at Plainmoor too, as Torquay re-shaped their squad for their relegation battle. Influential skipper Chris Hargreaves re-joined Oxford, and striker Tim Sills also leaves the Gulls.

In come Chris Zebrowski and Lathaniel Rowe-Turner on permanent deals from Wycombe and Leicester respectively, and the loan capture of Burton's Guy Branston.

At the top, runaway leaders Rochdale bolstered their numbers with the signing of 'keeper Frank Fielding on loan from Blackburn and making Chris O'Grady's deal at Spotland permanent. However, Dale were forced to sell Will Buckley [left] to Watford for £300,000.

John Sheridan's Chesterfield have also been busy as the Derbyshire side try to boost their hopes of a top seven finish. Danny Boshell and Barry Conlon join the Spireites from Grimsby and Adam Rundle from Rochdale.