IT’S been another action-packed weekend outside of the Premier League with a number of talking points from all around the country.
SunSport’s Football League reporter Tom Barclay is here to run the rule over the latest stories, action and highlights from outside the top-flight.
LOAN GROAN
FOOTBALLERS, beware. Fall out of favour this season and you could be spending a serious amount of time feeling all a loan.
The emergency loan window has been scrapped as of this season, meaning temporary switches can now only be made from window to window.
Players of all ages are going to be hit hard by the transfer shake-up.
Take striker Alex Revell, for example.
Last season, the 33-year-old was out of the picture at Cardiff so he went on a two-month loan to Wigan in November.
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That led to a January switch to MK Dons and his summer move to Northampton.
Revell reckons he would have found it “much harder” to get a club now, as “when you’re not playing, you’re quickly forgotten”.
Revell, who credits his Latics loan with earning him a move, warned: “Now you’ll have a lot more players stuck at a club.”
And that goes for youngsters, too. The list of Prem superstars who have benefitted from loans early in their careers is endless — including England stars Joe Hart, Adam Lallana and Harry Kane.
Cutting off that avenue risks reducing the ways in which our young talent can develop.
It also takes away the safety net for clubs if they suffer an injury crisis and then have to rely on their own kids — who may not be up to the task.
That was a key reason why boss Lee Johnson left Oldham for Barnsley last year, before he joined Bristol City.
The 35-year-old said the Latics’ lack of an Under-21 side meant that when the emergency loan rule was canned, he would have had to use academy players if injuries struck.
But other managers are taking a positive approach to the change, such as Gary Rowett.
The Birmingham chief said: “We see it as a great opportunity to blood a lot more of our youngsters, rather than bring in two or three loan players who are not your players and don’t feel so responsible.” That is all well and good but what if you do not have talented kids like Brum do with the likes of 18-year-old forward Jack Storer?
You could be left in a difficult position, particularly if you do not have an Under-21 side to fall back on.
Gareth Ainsworth knows his Wycombe team will be left massively short if he is hit with a spate of injuries — and could even be forced to dust off his own boots, aged 43!
And joking about the end of emergency loans, boss Ainsworth claimed it could bring other clubs “down to our level”.
Yet in a few months many players, managers and fans are unlikely to view the rule change as much of a laughing matter when the games come thick and fast and the pressure is rising.
Oh, and which governing body has been pushing for this rule change for years, so that England mirrors other countries? Fifa.
Just because we needed another reason to lose faith in them.
JEDI FRIGHT
THINGS have been pretty desperate at Aston Villa in the last year.
And it seems they have been quite desperate when it comes to transfer deals, too, as players profit from their need to recruit after relegation.
The club agreed whopping wage demands this summer, such as giving Mile Jedinak a £40,000-a-week, three-year deal . . . at the age of 32.
One player’s agent told me how easy he found it getting a good deal for his client at Villa.
Still, you can’t fault chairman Tony Xia — he is putting his money where his mouth is.
I’LL SLAV A GO
SLAVISA JOKANOVIC’S future as Fulham boss is in the balance.
The Serb publicly blasted the club’s data analyst Craig Kline after the 2-2 draw with Cardiff.
Joka and his staff are not happy American Kline has put the block on several transfers as they do not match up to his mysterious analytics model.
Kline was appointed by pal Tony Khan — son of Fulham chairman Shahid Khan. And how much more Jokanovic can take as he misses out on target after target, only time will tell.
YOU MBAB TO GIVE HIM CREDIT
KEVIN MBABU took the unusual step of agreeing a PAY CUT to get out of Toon.
The Swiss defender, 21, is heading back to his homeland to join Young Boys on loan from Newcastle.
But they cannot afford to pay all Mbabu’s wages, so he is taking a salary cut to push the deal through.
It is all because Mbabu is so keen to play, which is refreshing to hear given the modern stereotype of cash-mad footballers.
TOM’S TAKE ON THE WEEKEND
BEST GOAL
PLYMOUTH winger Graham Carey cut in from the right, danced past a few Mansfield defenders and lashed the ball in from eight yards out.
PLAYER
OLIVER BURKE breezes past defenders like Usain Bolt.
The 19-year-old alerted Prem clubs with a double to help Nottingham Forest sink Wigan.
MAD MOMENT
JACK STORER got a straight red for a silly head flick on Kortney Hause. His Birmingham boss Gary Rowett fumed: “You just can’t do that.”
CURSE
BRITT ASSOMBALONGA got a goal for Forest against Wigan — then was crocked again.
The powerhouse striker is coveted by clubs but his injury record could put them off.
BALL BOY
A MILLWALL fan was arrested for trying to leave with the match ball after their win over Sheffield United. The man, 40, pounced when it went out of play right at the death.
RELIEF
GARRY MONK eased the huge pressure on him and his Leeds side by turning over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
It was his first win as Elland Road manager.
GOAL KING
WILL GRIGG bagged two more goals against Forest — taking his tally to 23 in 25 games for Wigan.
CELEBRATION
CHRIS MAGUIRE was in no mood for Posh keeper Ben Alnwick’s mind games as he stepped up to take a penalty.
The Oxford striker scored it to seal a 2-1 win. And he then mocked Alnwick by standing on the line, pointing to the right, and diving — much to the player’s annoyance.
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TALKING POINTS
ANTHONY KNOCKAERT has made it three top-notch, goalscoring performances out of three for Brighton.
Newcastle have already bid for the ex-Leicester ace but will Premier League sides get interested as the end of the transfer window approaches?
Meanwhile, boss Chris Wilder needs to draw on his miracle work at Northampton to sort out Sheffield United — fast.
Just one point from their first four league games leaves them bottom of League One and looking in real trouble.
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