Transfer Deadline Day: The Other Side of the Curtain By Rohan Ricketts

More Than Just the End of a Window

For most of the public, transfer deadline day is pure entertainment—refreshing Twitter feeds, glued to Sky Sports News, waiting for that “Here we go!” moment.

But for players? It’s survival. It’s uncertainty. It’s asking yourself:

“Will I be sold against my wishes? Or forced to stay somewhere I’m not wanted?”

And the harshest truth? You don’t control it. You’re a product—moved around like stock in a billion-pound industry.

Today’s Headlines, Tomorrow’s Chaos

Look at what’s happening right now.

• Alexander Isak leaving Newcastle for Liverpool in a deal worth around £125–130 million.

• Alejandro Garnacho being sold by Manchester United to Chelsea for £40 million.

• Jadon Sancho sent packing again—this time to Aston Villa on loan.

Fans cheer. Clubs count. Broadcasters froth.

But behind the scenes?Families panic. Children wonder if they’ll be changing schools again. Players sit in silence, refreshing their phones to learn about their own futures.

I’ve Lived It — The David Pleat Story

Let me take you back.

I was at Tottenham Hotspur when Glenn Hoddle was sacked. He called me personally to warn me:

“David Pleat is taking over, and it won’t be a friendly environment for you.”

He was right.

I went from being a starter—getting England U21 call-ups, even a phone call from Sven-Göran Eriksson congratulating me—to not even making the bench.

Rumour was Pleat wanted to justify his £1m signing of Jonathan Blondel, while I had cost the club nothing but was still justifying my place.

Then came deadline day.

Pleat told me I wouldn’t get games and should find a loan. My agent, Eric Walters—a genuine man in a business of sharks—found me a move to Reading. I was buzzing. Finally, football again.

Pleat had said: “Call me if you find a club.” So I did.

His reply?

“Why are you calling me? You ain’t going anywhere. And how did you get my number?”

Like he was the damn Queen.

I reminded him he told me to. He didn’t care. He said again: “You’re not going anywhere.”Then he hung up.

That was my welcome to the ruthlessness of football’s business side.No loyalty. No humanity. Just deals and egos.

Agents: The Good, The Bad, and the Ruthless

What’s happening with Isak, Garnacho, Sancho—these deals are powered by agents. Some are solid. Most aren’t.

When you’re hot, they love you. When you need them most, silence.

“Anyone can move a David Beckham or a Jermain Defoe. But it takes a grafter to get a deal for a player with a thin CV but big potential.”

That’s the side of the game fans never see.

What Fans Don’t See

Deadline day is painted as excitement. But let me tell you what it feels like from the inside:

• You finish training not knowing if your manager is flogging you behind your back.

• You turn on Sky Sports News and hear a stranger telling the world about your future.

• Your kids ask: “Daddy, why do we keep moving?”

It’s madness. And it’s not just a game.

Football’s Harshest Truth

As I watch Isak pack his bags, Garnacho pushed out, and Sancho thrown into limbo again, I see the same story replaying itself. Different names, same machine.

“Football isn’t smooth sailing. It’s survival.”

Money becomes the cushion, the temporary shield against instability. But peace? That doesn’t last in this business.

The Ricketts Report — Where Football Ends and Truth Begins

So when you see those shiny graphics of players holding up new shirts tonight, remember this:

Behind every deadline day deal is a human being, living through chaos.

And as I’ve been saying for years:

“There isn’t much football left in football anymore.”

Respectfully,Rohan Ricketts