“Chaotic, needlessly pressurised, and logistically difficult” is how Norwich City sporting director Ben Knapper summed up conducting transfer business on deadline day while matches were being played.
Tuesday’s deadline was unlike any other in the EFL for that reason. On an already hectic day, 27 fixtures across the Championship, League One and League Two kicked off and finished roughly an hour before the window shut at 23:00 BST.
It’s rare for a busy EFL programme to coincide with a modern deadline day; the last comparable instance was in January 2017, when 11 Championship matches took place.
Knapper told the BBC’s 72+ EFL podcast that playing the same evening adds a whole extra layer of complexity—not just for executives, but for players, head coaches and staff across the board.
As Norwich lost 1-0 at Stoke City, the Potters provided Knapper with a room at the bet365 Stadium so he could work on deals—something he said he appreciated.
Even so, he believes most EFL clubs agree the scheduling was far from ideal, piling on pressure and logistical hurdles that could and should be avoided.
While the overlap may heighten the drama for spectators, Knapper said those in his position would prefer as little drama as possible.