A fee was agreed with Stoke and the player met with George Burley, agreed personal terms and passed a medical. However, Reading nipped in at the eleventh hour and the difference in league position proved telling.
This is a stark reminder of how difficult it is to attract players to the Championship, let alone half way down it. While we sell off our best players like there is no tomorrow, it is actually very difficult to replace them without even our Championship, let alone Premiership, rivals heading off moves.
Add to that our 'prudent' wage policy and lack of quality signings to replace the outgoing players, it is difficult to see where Saints go from here. It is now a good week or so since Burley announced we have submitted offers for at least three players, but still no word of signings. The silence speaks volumes.
No wonder then that Saints have resorted to trialing virtual unknown foreign players, a policy more in line with the previous regime, with defenders Zboncak (or cak for short) and Steen having failed to impress.
As the Northam stand keep trying to remind him - spend some money Rupert Lowe!