Friday 27 November 2015 00:01, UK
With the loan window shutting on November 26 until January, what if there’s a crisis? Here’s what you need to know...
Black Friday may soon be upon the Christmas shoppers but for clubs in the Football League, the chance to go on a spending spree is over until the January sales come 5pm on Thursday November 26.
The emergency loan window opened on September 9 and for the past two-and-a-half months has allowed clubs outside the Premier League to bring in players on short-term deals.
Football League clubs have been able to sign domestic-based players during this period for any length of time between 28 and 93 days.
The window is used extensively throughout the Football League with Leeds United the only one of the 72 sides not to bring in a player on an emergency loan during the course of last season.
Even Leeds moved for Sunderland's Will Buckley in October. Deals have gone through on 17 of the 24 days so far this month as clubs seek to bolster their numbers knowing that time is now running out.
What happens if there's an injury crisis?
Then you're out of luck. Wolves were able to bring in Newcastle's Mike Williamson after injuries to Ethan Ebanks-Landell and Kortney Hause but there will be no such safety net until January.
With teams playing seven times in the league alone during the period when the emergency loan window is shut, that puts the onus on forward planning and leaves cash-strapped sides vulnerable.
Are there any exceptions?
The only exception for clubs, in accordance with Football League regulation 54, is if they suffer a goalkeeping injury crisis.
If all the professional goalkeepers at a club are either certified by a doctor as being unfit to play or are suspended, they may register a further goalkeeper on a short-term emergency loan.
