It would appear that Newcastle’s policy in the transfer market is paying dividends. Dividends, that is, to those clubs around us hopeful of avoiding relegation.

Our squad was too small, and lacking in quality. We’ve shown ourselves down to the bare bones, in desperate need of a left-back, a right-back, someone with an ounce or two of creativity in midfield, and a centre-forward of quality.

So what happens? We instead sell the best goalkeeper we’ve had in 30 years, and get rid of a midfield schemer … sorry, I meant sulker … and in return bring in a versatile defender out of contract in the summer, and a decent midfielder. Well, that’s okay: Given wanted out, and N’Zogbia I wanted out, I quite rate Nolan and at the very least it will mean Taylor can’t score against us.

But where’s the strike force? The left-back?

Still at their respective clubs, because as usual, Newcastle leave everything until the last minute, no doubt deliberately misleading themselves that of course these players will want to join Newcastle, and that their clubs will let them go for the first price Newcastle come up with, at such a late stage that those clubs aren’t able to sign a replacement.

Nonsense. That’s what it is. It’s nonsense, madness and stupidity rolled into one. You’ve only got a month to sign these players — two months in the summer — and as you approach the end of the transfer window, the ideal position to be in is the one where you’ve made all the signings you need, rather than hoping — as now, and as last August — that somehow Newcastle will sneak through another three signings after it looks like the transfer window has officially closed.

I don’t know who is running the transfers at Newcastle (but then, that’s part of the problem: other than Kinnear, no-one seems to have anything to say at the club), but they are obviously doing it badly. They got us into this mess last August, and they haven’t learned from their mistakes this time around.

I have genuine doubts as to whether or not this current squad has the ability to avoid relegation. Unless of course it’s just that we’ve not yet announced the signings of Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Fernando Torres…

Update: Bugger! Huddersfield have signed Lee Novak, who has been scoring goals for fun for Gateshead. Fortunately the Blue Square North is below the level at which the transfer window kicks in (by 1 division) so hopefully we can use some of that money to obtain some other decent players.

Update2: But they’ve loaned him back to us for the rest of the season! Hurrah! Lovely Huddersfield. Let’s still get some new players, though…