Transfer deadline day is a stressful time to be a football manager and, arguably, even more stressful as a fan. The whole summer’s business may come down to one day of dealings and the hopes many hold for their club’s respective season could hinge on the final few hours of August 31st.

So, without further ado, we look at who came out on top during the final 24 hours of the summer window. Who filled the holes, who bagged the signings they wanted, and who was left ruing that missed opportunity.

Read on to find out more:

Winners

Sunderland

The Black Cats have started the season in brilliant fashion but they went into the final day of the transfer window needing to add to their side to give themselves a bit more depth. It had been a slow start to the summer for the club with business taking a while to get going but they got to deadline day having built a pretty decent team which Lee Johnson was moulding into something worth watching.

With time running out the Wearsiders announced the loan capture of Leon Dajaku, a player who had made his name with Bayern Munich’s second side before sealing a moe to Union Berlin. He feels like a really exciting capture and then the club also announced Thorben Hoffman was joining from Bayern on loan. The keeper should supplant the error-prone Lee Burge between the sticks to give the Black Cats great competition in net. Oh, and for the pièce de résistance they then sent Will Grigg and his wages out on loan to Rotherham…good work.

Tranmere Rovers

When you go four straight games without scoring it is pretty clear you need to add some firepower. Tranmere knew they needed to try and replace the goals of James Vaughan, easier said than done, but had failed to really convince the fans that they were able to sign forwards.

Well, deadline day didn’t disappoint. Stephen Walker, a player who impressed while on loan at Crewe, was signed from Middlesbrough. Nicky Maynard, a striker with a decent goal record, was snapped up on a free and Mark Duffy also joined following a spell at Fleetwood. These may or may not end up being inspired but they feel like good additions and certainly tick the boxes in terms of team needs. Lee O’Connor returning on loan from Celtic was also a nice bonus.

Wigan Athletic

After recruiting aggressively this summer Wigan went into the final day not really under much pressure to sign players yet they continued their impressive window by adding another three. Curtis Tilt returned on loan from Rotherham, a defender who has always impressed at this level.  Jason Kerr arrived for an undisclosed fee from Scottish side St Johnstone after winning many admirers north of the border while they also bagged experienced full-back, Joe Bennett, from Cardiff. It’s been a really good window for Wigan and the defensive additions brought in on deadline day should help this team push from promotion.

Burton Albion

Burton’s recruitment, if you go back to last January, has been superb. The fanbase can have no complaints about how the Brewers have gone about their business and deadline day just highlighted the new approach to signing players.

Sam Hughes was picked up from Leicester on loan, Harry Chapman also joined on a temporary switch from Blackburn. The midfielder looked pretty handy during his spell with Shrewsbury last season. Charlie Lakin is a nice pick up from Birmingham while the cherry on top has to be the signing of Daniel Jebbison on loan from Sheffield United.

The Canadian-born forward is really highly rated and it will be interesting to see what he makes of this opportunity at the Pirelli.

Mansfield Town

Mansfield Town have enjoyed a really good summer. The recruitment going into the last day had been really strong with the only area still to improve being the defence.

Well, consider it job done. Will Forrester arrived from Stoke City on loan to bolster the backline. The 20-year-old has made his way through the Potters youth system and will be well schooled by Nigel Clough at Field Mill. The best addition of the day, however, was that of Richard Nartey on loan from Burnley. The 22-year-old came through at Chelsea before moving to Turf Moor and impressed while on loan at Burton during the 2019-20 campaign. He ticks all the boxes for the Stags meaning their deadline day business was exactly what was needed.

Charlton Athletic

The final day ended in a really positive manner for the South London club. They brought in players that not only filled holes but also added real quality.

Harry Arter is likely to be a great player in League One while the return of Jonathan Leko is a brilliant pick-up. They may still be short at left-back but they do have players to fill in there. Sam Lavelle signing from Morecambe was just great business. The defender has been excellent for the Lancashire side over the last few years and he is ready for a step up and a new challenge. He should be a great addition for the Addicks.

Losers

Shrewsbury Town

Where do you start? Salop went into the final day needing to add at least a couple of players in midfield and arguably some in other positions too. Given their start to the season, you’d have thought the need would have been more urgent but as the day went on Shrews fans were becoming more worried, and rightly so. In the end, the Shropshire club couldn’t complete a single signing leaving a squad with less balance than a trapeze artist with an inner ear infection.

Just three midfielders has already seen them play a left-back in the centre of the park, not ideal, and for whatever reason they just couldn’t add to the group. Shrews fans are not a happy lot right now.

Oldham Athletic

Oldham kept Dylan Bahamboula, that is a real positive but what they didn’t do was add a striker which is the one area they really look short in right now. Hallam Hope is a good player and works hard but he is not a natural No.9 so going with him as the main man until January is a bit of a risk. A lot will hinge on the form of young players, the fitness of Zach Dearnley and the talent of Moyo.

Not a great final day for Latics.

Doncaster Rovers

Doncaster are in a mess. Richie Wellens talked about the need to add experience after their defeat to Rotherham but his pleas appear to have fallen on deaf ears. The only arrival on deadline day was Rodrigo Vilca on loan from Newcastle. The 22-year-old Peruvian midfielder may be a really good player but he doesn’t go anywhere near to filling the needs of this team.

Donny are light in a number of areas but particularly in attack and their start to the season has rightly raised concerns amongst the fanbase, something that will not have been placated but their business on deadline day.

Bristol Rovers

Bristol Rovers have a really nice squad but the final day of the window was a bit confusing. They wanted to add a striker to replace Brandon Hanlan but bringing in Leon Clarke, a player who did practically nothing at Shrewsbury last season, doesn’t seem like a great deal.

They also added Junior Brown, who hardly wowed the fans at Scunthorpe last season when he wasn’t out through injury and the unknown quantity that is Anthony Evans who last played on loan at Crewe from German side Paderborn. It may end up being a stroke of genius, but it feels a little underwhelming in reality.

Gillingham

The Gills have a thin squad and although they haven’t had a terrible window as a whole, they went into the last day needing a left-back and probably two strikers.

In the end, they were only able to add 19-year-old Charlie Kelman on loan from QPR. The former Southend youngster is not without talent but a lot will rest on his shoulders if anything happens to main man Vadaine Oliver. The club made a lot of noise about keeping Kyle Dempsey and Jack Tucker, but in a window that saw Jordan Graham, Connor Ogilvie, and Jack Bonham all reject new deals, that will be scant consolation.

words James Richards, D3D4 Football