Brad Davies wraps up a chaotic transfer deadline day as it was seen on Twitter by English football's biggest names.
As the closure of the January transfer window loomed last night, the madness of deadline day in England kicked into full swing with the rumour mill in overdrive and news of last minute deals rolling in.
Two Everton veterans were getting in the spirit of the day with some cheeky transfer banter involving a couple of old team mates.
Steven Pienaar: "We still signing Yak? Haha"
Phil Neville: "No, Yobo I think."
Steven Pienaar: "At least we signed Yak's younger brother Victor Anichebe. I'm happy with that haha"
Meanwhile the afternoon's big story came with David Beckham's announcement that he would be joining Paris St Germain on a 5 month deal. The kicker being that although he was heading to the money-bags club for financial reasons, his salary would be donated to a Parisian children's charity. This was met with widespread head-nodding admiration from the football community and re-emphasised the esteem in which the England icon is held.
Gary Lineker got all poetic tweeting: "David Beckham is donating his PSG salary to a Parisian charity. As beautifully delivered as one of his crosses."
Tom Huddlestone, whose haircut I'm fairly sure repels headwear went with: "Hat off to Becks donating his weekly wage at PSG to charity #Legend"
Karl's Carrow Road cousin, Anthony Pilkington, seems quite taken with 'Goldenballs' tweeting: "#Beckham is an absolute HERO giving his salary to a kids charity, what a guy!! #THEDON"
Joey Barton is looking forward to having Beckham join him in France: "Can't wait for Becks to do a pressa in Franglish! Watch this space. Great exposure for Ligue 1. #welcome"
Of course it wouldn't be a deadline day without the wheeling and dealing of Harry Redknapp and with his QPR side fighting for survival he had every reason to be active. With Sky Sports News camped outside Loftus Road, familiar images of "Arry" arriving in his Range Rover, window down, stopping briefly to drop a few juicy crumbs to the press were making their way around Twitter.
It was no surprise then that the late developing story of the day involved Redknapp's R's with West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie making a mad dash for Loftus Road apparently, without the permission of his Albion employers. It seemed an amazingly rash move from the Nigerian and was met with plenty of humorous jibes from media figures and players. That his move to QPR didn't eventuate also left many wondering how he'd be received back at the Hawthorns.
ESPNFC editor John Brewin conjured this metaphor to sum up the situation: "I feel a bit sorry for Odemwingie, but this has been an absolute hatstand. He's turned from potential pull to wide-eyed and sweaty stalker."
Norwich's Robert Snodgrass was quick off the mark with a new chant: "He's Odemwingie....... he moves when he wants #deadlineday"
Billy Sharp used the occasion to drop the his favourite Odemwingie nickname into a tweet: "What is Peter Chickenwingie doing???"
Nice guy, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain expressed his concern for the strikers immediate welfare with: "Does Odemwingie need a place to stay tonight?"
Darren Huckerby seemed to have found a solution to the situation: "Redknapp just been seen with Odemwingie in the back of his Range Rover, the lad can't go back to WBA so he's going to be Harry's gardener."
Wayne Routledge asked the practical: "Where does Peter Odemwingie go from here?" With the most common responses from his followers involving the phrases "Bus stop" and "M40"
The final word of deadline day goes to Sky Sports presenter Hayley McQueen making reference to reports that after his OJ Simpson style dash south Odemwingie hadn't even been allowed into QPR headquarters: "I live 10mins from loftus rd, just had a knock at the door, Odemwingie perhaps? I didn't answer either, didn't want him seeing me in my pj's."
