To borrow badly from the song, 'It's now or never…' today as far as Martin Taylor is concerned.
For whether he'll be mine tonight, largely depends on another feverish round of negotiations between Carrow Road, St Andrew's and the player.
Why tonight? Well old Ferret's understanding is that the paperwork for a concurrent loan deal – ie, one that is just an extension of the first and not a wholly new one – has five days to reach the various authorities concerned.
It was a rule designed originally when you were popping the papers in the post. Now, of course, an 11.58pm fax could be enough to put Taylor's name on the team-sheet for Layer Road on Saturday.
Miss tonight's deadline and the League will rule that any new loan deal is exactly that – a new loan deal.
And as the deadline for new loans has now passed, 'Tiny' will be going back up the road to Brum until the New Year.
All of which should concentrate a few minds and this being Norwich, it would come as no surprise if one or two games of brinkmanship didn't take it right to the wire.
Certainly Ms Brady will know that many of the best cards are in her hand; that Norwich have a clock ticking on them; she's got a player that her own manager has already said that he doesn't need; that the Carrow Road board would dearly, dearly love to have a new Martin Taylor to give to their long-suffering supporters this Christmas.
Our Karren might even have one or two other suitors beating a path to her door.
And likewise, she might – in Norwich's case – be busily insisting that she comes to the table once; that whatever is agreed now loan-wise, also has every nut and bolt in place re a potential full-time move thereafter.
But there will be no 'potential' about it. Taylor walks tonight and he's not walking back to Blues on January 1. This is all done, dusted and wrapped up tonight.
In short, Norwich aren't in the strongest negotiating position in their lives and if the player's cute he can cut the deal of his life given his standing in these parts.
Grabbing another Man of the Match award on the day you pick up the bubbly for being voted November's Player of the Month tends to boost your value. 'Oooh, I think I'll have the four-year deal, please…'
And whatever doubts he has about dropping down a division can always be smoothed over by the odd nought here; an extra pound sign there.
We are, folks, back into potential 'Huckerby moment' territory; the significance being not so much about the nature of the player himself, but the message it sends out.
So watch the clock. 14 hours and ticking….
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