Signing was already long agreed with player and club. They probably could have broke the gentleman's agreement but chose not to. In theory, it could have been a great signing, a player that has fetched seven figure sums and we have him on loan with a "view to" option. Clough had three other players with permanent transfers ready for rubber stamping. I was told he wanted seven players "and they wouldn't be cheap". The next thing you know there's a meeting, he's gone, and the whole transfer goalposts shift. I think Clough would have rectified a lot of his mistakes with these signings but so he should with the amount of money spent. Adkins had the choice of experience on loan with big wages , our a few gambles on younger players. Unless he got the right experienced ones automatic was a pipedream.