5 times clubs missed out on Deadline Day signings

#1 Peter Odemwingie to Queens Park Rangers, 2013

West Bromwich Albion v Southampton - Premier League — Even a late night drive couldn't take Peter Odemwingie to QPR in 2013

It’s a well-known trope of modern football to claim that “player power” has now gone a step too far, but back in 2013 striker Peter Odemwingie found out that you can’t always get what you want, even when you drive yourself to the intended destination. Playing for West Bromwich Albion at the time, Odemwingie had started the 2012/13 season well by scoring five goals, but fell out with boss Steve Clarke and demanded a move in the January 2013 transfer window.

Odemwingie was so desperate for a move that he began to rant against West Brom on Twitter, claiming they’d been “reaching into his pocket”, and so it seemed obvious that the player would have to be sold. A suitable destination was found in QPR, and so the clubs began to talk. But the move fell through on deadline day when a suitable replacement for Odemwingie at the Hawthorns couldn’t be found. Unfortunately, such things didn’t mean much to the Nigerian striker.

Despite a deal not being reached between the two clubs, Odemwingie made the call to drive himself to Loftus Road, where he was then refused entry by QPR brass as he had no permission to be there. Even during the madness that is deadline day, this incident was on another level altogether. Clarke, for his part, described Odemwingie’s actions as “lunacy” and stated that the player had “jumped the gun”. Odemwingie ended up returning to West Brom with his tail between his legs, and rarely featured for the team until the 2013 summer window, when he finally completed a move – to Cardiff City.

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Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram