So with 24 hours still to go, what's the word?
That it's going to be one busy day tomorrow. That Bates arrival could just be the start of the fun and games.
And if anyone cares to take a peek over the neighbour's hedge, it's the same down the road. As things currently stand Ipswich Town haven't got a goalkeeper after Neil Alexander's shock disappearance north.
But that's Magilton's problem. Here and Norwich have two major fights on their hands – to prise our old friend Tiny out of her Ladyship and to get Scunthorpe to soften their stance over Martin Paterson.
If only on the basis of the Billy Sharp saga, getting Iron chairman Steve Wharton to the table and getting him to stay there might test the everyone's patience tomorrow.
Again Taylor-wise, that will depend on how much movement there has been over Cahill in the last 24 hours; someone, somewhere has got to confirm that Ched can indeed stay until the end of the season; window-to-window loans out of the Premiership have to be concluded before midnight tomorrow. Thereafter, we're into the emergency loan type deals that took Bates down the A1 today – and all with a 24-hour recall attached.
That prospect might have edged a little further tonight courtesy of the new wonder kid on the Eastlands block.
Not content with grabbing his first, senior goal in the FA Cup defeat at Sheffield United on Sunday, 18-year-old Daniel Sturridge not only started his first Premiership game away at Derby tonight, but he also bagged his first Premiership goal in the 1-1 draw at Pride Park.
Perhaps one of the answers to Sven's scoring woes has been under his nose all along; he's just been out for six months with a hip injury. And on that basis, maybe he doesn't need our Ched.
With Arsenal out of the FA Youth Cup following their 1-0 defeat at Liverpool, that should clear the way for Glenn to use his 'first refusal' card – Gibbs, would be my bet. Or at least that's the word from my pal in the Smoke.
And I still think he's got a surprise up his sleeve – someone for whom the rest of the Premiership season offers nothing but ressie football and ugly glances from the gaffer.
Perhaps his verbal blast earlier this month knocked that nail on the head, but Greg Halford is only going backwards at Sunderland. Keane's swoop for Bardsley made the ex-Us star's chances of getting a gig at right-back even more remote. I can't for the life of me think that Keane would want him sulking about the place for the next five months.
Time to nip that failed move in the bud and move on. Or else, move him on. West Ham are interesting.
On the same basis that City are likely to be giving game-time to Matthew Bates as part of his long-term rehab schedule following that knee injury, Bobby Zamora's knee problems have found the one-time City kid without a game since the end of August.
Back in full training this month, could a one-month emergency loan suit all concerned given that Curbs likewise has Craig Bellamy firmly on the mend?
And, finally, what about our little pal Sunny? That's gone kind of quiet; he was still firmly being talked about on Sunday. Since then Koeman has been clinging to his job by his finger-tips, but tonight he might just have won himself some breathing space as Valencia moved into the semi-finals of the Copa Del Rey after over-coming Atletico in the quarters.
A goal up from the game at the Mestella last week, tonight's second leg in Madrid saw Valencia squeeze in after a 3-2 defeat. It should be enough to take the heat off Koeman for a week or so. And Stephen Sunday was nowhere to be seen among the 16. The 19-year-old probably has a big decision to make tonight.
Time and geography may work against him turning up here, but it was a great little story for as long as it lasted.
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