Transfer Window & Loans Thread

[Matt]

March 21 (Bloomberg) -- Andy Cole, the second-highest scorer in Premiership soccer history, has boosted Birmingham's attempts to return to the elite league after joining on loan from Portsmouth until the end of the season.

The 35-year-old former England international, who was a teammate of Birmingham manager Steve Bruce at Manchester United, hasn't played outside the Premiership since achieving promotion with Newcastle in 1993.

``He is an exceptional player with a phenomenal goalscoring record,'' Bruce told Birmingham's Web site. ``We hope that with his extra quality he can help us to secure the promotion that we are so desperate for.''

Birmingham, which is aiming for promotion at the first attempt after suffering relegation last year, is second in the second-tier Championship, a position which would achieve promotion at the end of the season. Derby tops the division, with Sunderland, Preston, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion in the playoff positions.

Cole, whose tally of 188 Premiership goals is second only to ex-Newcastle striker Alan Shearer's 260, has struggled to earn a regular spot at Portsmouth since joining from Manchester City in August 2006. He has got four goals in 22 games, including only nine starts.

He has also played at Bristol City, Newcastle, Blackburn and Fulham since starting at Arsenal. He had his most successful period at United, winning four Premiership titles, two F.A. Cups and the Champions League in a 6 1/2-year spell from 1995 to 2001.

Fair enough we have nothing left to play for this season, although we are almost fighting a relegation battle, but this is the kind of signing we need!

[Flexx]

LOAN DEADLINES

Hasney Aljofree - Plymouth - Oldham

Graham Coughlan - Sheff Wed - Burnley

Michael Gray - Blackburn - Leeds

James Henry - Reading - N Forest

Albert Jarrett - Watford - MK Dons

Anthony McNamee - Watford - Crewe

James Quinn - N'thampton - S****horpe

Spencer Weir-Daly - N Forest - Bradford

[lookwhaticando]

Fair enough we have nothing left to play for this season, although we are almost fighting a relegation battle, but this is the kind of signing we need!

Don't worry... we'll get Forssell now that Brum have six strikers with the addition of Cole.

[Manwell Pablo]

Tricky Trevs gone Walsall, thats club 128 then.

[Master Fox]

Tricky Trevs gone Walsall, thats club 128 then.

He maybe was worth £1.5 million after all ...????

[Thracian]

Fair enough we have nothing left to play for this season, although we are almost fighting a relegation battle, but this is the kind of signing we need!

And the fact it was never realistic to even get in the hunt just emphasises the sort of problems we'll have trying to pursuade good players to come here in the present and foreseeable circumstances.

It will change I imagine but the surgery needed is so drastic I hope we don't bleed to death in the process.

[Guest Gist]

Burnley have signed Paul McVeigh from Norwich for the rest of the season and Rohan Ricketts has joined QPR from Wolves.

[Brainy]

Would have taken both of them.

[davieG]

Andy Welsh is hopeful his move to Toronto FC will enable him to learn from former Scotland international Mo Johnston.

Welsh finalised his move to the MLS club on Monday, having been given permission to head across the Atlantic by Sunderland.

Toronto coach Johnston is happy with his new addition and the winger is looking to learn from the Scot.

"I fancied a new challenge, it's a different country and a chance for something new," Welsh told Toronto's official website.

"I was impressed with the city, and obviously Mo's football career speaks for itself, and that can only help me."

Johnston feels Welsh, who was recently on loan at Leicester, will bring a new dimension to his squad.

"He's quick, tricky, and loves to go at defenders," said Johnston. "He's a top quality left winger with Premier League experience and he brings that to our team."