With so many clubs scrapping to survive at the bottom of the table, deadline day was something of spectacle this year
By Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required
So, that was Transfer Deadline Day. OK, Sky didn’t send Jon Wells, Brian Carney or Bill Arthur to doorstep down Wheldon Road, Belle Vue, or the Stade Brutus. The
BBC didn’t have half-hourly updates from Dave Woods at a wet and windy Kirkstall, and TalkSport weren’t interrupting their wall-to-wall
Premier League coverage so Mark Wilson could report from Ealing Trailfinders. But the Super League transfer deadline day on Friday was more interesting than in recent years as the threat of relegation, or finding themselves short-handed in the play-offs, left most clubs wheeling and dealing to improve their squads.
There was little by way of transfer fees paid but the clubs that had kept some of their salary cap aside for a rainy day splashed out. For Wakefield, the heavens have opened and they responded by drafting in four experienced players. The headline-grabbers were versatile
France back Morgan Escaré from Wigan and vastly experienced centre Ryan Atkins from Warrington. The former
England international is 33 now, but he should have another couple of seasons in him in the top flight and returns to Belle Vue after nine years in Cheshire.