O'Neill: Fringe Players To Be Moved On Loan

With the transfer window now firmly closed until January, the loan market remains active as clubs from the lower leagues scramble to bring in players on "emergency" loan deals.

Teams in The Championship and below are permitted to bring in players on such deals as of Saturday, and there's plenty of movement expected from our fringe players, likely to include Ryan Noble, John Egan, Louis Laing and Billy Knott. There's also an outside possibility some more seasoned players such as Connor Wickham and Ji Dong-Won might be moved out on loan, or a player such as David Vaughan to aid his comeback from injury.

Martin O'Neill told reporters today he's a fan of the emergency loan system, and will be looking to get some players more experience;

There is the possibility that maybe some players will go out on loan.

The key thing there is that they would be going on emergency loans, which means they could be called back after 28 days if necessary.

I don't mind allowing players to leave on emergency loans because they will be getting games and - providing we can survive the first 28 days - if we pick up injury problems, we can recall them.

Noble, Egan, Laing and Knott all went out on loan last season, and Hartlepool United manager Neale Cooper has already expressed an interest in taking hotshot striker Noble back to Victoria Park this season.

It wouldn't be a surprise at all to see Ji or Wickham shifted out, and there's every possibility that a stint in the Championship might do both the power of good, especially if they can come back after 28 days - hopefully in top form.