The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
McKinnon signs winger on loan after frustrating night
Dundee United left it late but eventually signed winger Alex Nicholls from Barnet on a frustrating night for the Tannadice club.
The 29-year-old Englishman, whose former clubs include Walsall, Northampton Town and Exeter, has agreed a loan deal until the end of the season.
Hours earlier, United had let wideman Tope Obadeyi leave to join Oldham just six months after he signed from Kilmarnock.
It was so near and yet so far with other deals, though. Indeed, they suffered a belated relegation hangover as they missed out on top targets Nadir Ciftci and Conor Sammon because of the division in which they play.
They had agreed a deal with Celtic for former fans’ favourite Ciftci but the striker was believed to be heading to Premiership Motherwell instead.
Also, it is understood United thought they had verbally agreed a deal with Hearts over the weekend for Sammon but had to stand by helplessly as he joined his former club Kilmarnock.
Both the Turk and the Irishman preferred staying in the top flight to heading down a division and that won’t make United manager Ray McKinnon’s task of getting the club back up any easier.
Those disappointments came on the back of Hull City’s decision to hang on to former Tannadice full-back Andy Robertson, who had been lined up for a £10 million move to Burnley. That would have seen a £1m windfall winging its ways to Tannadice had it been completed.
However, a shortage of defenders at his disposal meant Hull manager Marco Silva did not want to let Robertson go.
Silva said: “He’s our player, he’s an important player for us and in this moment I’m thinking to prepare Robertson to play. I spoke with the player (on Monday) and I said – I was clear with him – ‘I want you to stay at the club, I keep you in our squad’. I said the same applies for our chairman.”
Joining Obadeyi out of the door at Tannadice was forward Justin Johnson, who had been on loan at York City.
Meanwhile, United’s Championship rivals Hibs failed in their bid to bring back Anthony Stokes for a third spell.
The league leaders were keen to sign the Irishman on loan from English Championship side Blackburn Rovers but were unable to agree a suitable deal in time to beat the deadline.