ON A frantic transfer deadline day Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane secured two of the four signings that he wanted while losing none of his current squad.

ON A frantic transfer deadline day Ipswich Town boss Roy Keane secured two of the four signings that he wanted while losing none of his current squad. Stuart Watson looks at the impact yesterday's events could have at Portman Road.

“You don't always get what you want in life,” admitted Roy Keane rather prophetically post-Preston on Saturday.

But while the Ipswich Town boss may not have got the four signings that he wanted on transfer deadline day, it would be churlish of him, and Town fans, to be too disappointed this morning.

At one stage it looked like Keane would be waking up today to find that not only had he been left no more than a piece of coal in his stocking, but also that Santa Claus had taken a couple of his unwanted toys on the way out.

All this after not getting the presents he really wanted - Dean Whitehead and Daryl Murphy - for his proverbial birthday last month.

Realistically that is a scenario that was dangerously close to happening just hours ago.

The Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards deals were perilously close to collapse at one stage this weekend - and I mean seriously close.

And with Keane having invited rival managers to make him bids for any of his players, such was his frustration at the way they have performed at the start of this season, things could have been so much gloomier for Town fans as we head into the international break.

The truth of the matter is that Ipswich could have been facing up to at least 19 more league fixtures with no new signings, while having possibly been two or three down on an already injury-hit squad which has so far taken just two points from a possible 15.

Thankfully that didn't happen.

Now, with the arrival of two new players with a wealth of top-flight experience, most Town fans will agree that the only way is up.