The Lie: The deadline is final. The idea of the transfer window was always to protect smaller teams from big teams coming in and poaching their best players at key points in the season - when of course the reality is far from that. It offered unwavering structure, and the rules have always been very strict. Except when they haven't. Almost every year a deal happens after the transfer deadline has passed, with clubs blaming issues with communication - and the dreaded, and frankly ridiculous fax machine - for their tardiness. On two separate occasions, Zimbabwean striker Benjani saw deals go through after the deadline: first when he didn't get to Manchester on time for his move from Portsmouth, and then when joining Sunderland on loan when he and his agent couldn't work the fax machine.
