Norwich City's sporting director Ben Knapper has opened up on the challenge of managing a hectic transfer deadline day while also attending to a Championship matchday commitment, revealing he was based in Stoke as the club's business unfolded.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's EFL Podcast, hosted by Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff, Knapper walked through the logistics of balancing incoming and outgoing deals with the demands of a live fixture, a familiar scenario for sporting directors across the EFL during the closing hours of the window. The conversation offered a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes pressures faced by club executives when transfer business and on-pitch matters collide on the same day.
Knapper also used the appearance to look back on Norwich's start to the season and the club's decision last term to part ways with Liam Manning in favour of current head coach Philippe Clement. The change in the dugout was one of the more notable managerial moves in the Championship in recent seasons, and Knapper's comments on the podcast provided further insight into the thinking behind that switch as Norwich continue to build under Clement's leadership.
The episode's discussion of deadline day extended beyond Norwich, with the panel running through some of the biggest deals struck across the EFL before the window slammed shut. Among the talking points was a sense of relief at West Ham, though the podcast's EFL focus centred largely on the second and third tiers of English football rather than the Premier League club's specific business.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Charlton Athletic's continued good form was highlighted, with the podcast noting the club are still enjoying a strong run. Swansea City's promising start to the campaign was also flagged as one of the more eye-catching stories developing lower down the table.
The show paused to pay tribute to Alan Knight before returning to League One, where the panel noted that Leicester City had finally picked up a league win, a result that will offer some encouragement to a club still finding its feet after relegation.
Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans also joined the panel during the episode to discuss his side's encouraging start to the season. Evans, well known for his forthright character in the English game, gave his perspective on how his squad has settled into the campaign and what has underpinned the club's positive results so far this term.
The podcast, a regular fixture for followers of the English Football League, continues to bring together voices from across the divisions to break down the biggest storylines each week. This latest episode combined boardroom insight from Knapper with the more traditional dugout perspective offered by Evans, while also taking stock of the deadline day dealings that shaped squads up and down the Championship, League One and League Two.
With the transfer window now closed, attention across the EFL turns back fully to results on the pitch, with clubs such as Charlton, Swansea and Bristol Rovers all seeking to build on encouraging starts, while Norwich look to continue their development under Clement following last season's managerial change.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport (BBC Radio 5 Live's EFL Podcast).