The reality is that we spent all the money in the summer, so we were never likely to spash the cash unless we sold players which we didn't manage to do in the end. I think as much as we hoped there would be a nice surpise it was unrealistic to think we had a chance of getting Rhodes, Wells or anyone else in due to the finances being way out of our budget.
Also with relegation looking more likely than not getting players in becomes even harder as the club can't afford to risk paying big money on top of the loses we are already going to be racking up against FFP and no player with alternative options is going to want to come here and risk getting relegated.
I can understand struggling to get players in but the worst part was losing Mulgrew and Windass who for me were 2 of our better players, to what seems like off field reasons rather than on field.
I dont want to write off these lads before they've kicked a ball for us, but it's not being unfair to say they haven't really shone prior to arriving - so are they really a better prospect than our own young lads ripping up trees in the U23's? I don't know maybe they are, but we keep hearing Obi, Weir, Cranksaw, Jolley, etc as well as Joffy are doing so well and at this point surely they are worth considering. We could've even recalled Lang to replace Windass.
I'm glad we've at least got some players in as it gives you a chance some of them could add something rather than not bother with anyone at all. But if we are going to take a gamble with largely inexperienced young players from other clubs we've got some of our own who so far haven't had a look in.