I DON'T suppose it's any comfort to Steve Cotterill right now, but at least the transfer embargo means he can get down to business.

For the past few months, it's been an endless and often fruitless quest to bring players in to stengthen the Burnley squad for the long road ahead.

Now the deadline has passed and, loans aside, Steve pretty much knows what he has to work with for the rest of 2005. The last week brought plenty of wheeling and dealing, with Jon Harley undoubtedly the most eye-catching of the four new faces to arrive.

I thought he instantly looked the part against Derby County and, at last, I've no fears that for the first time in several years we have a left back befitting of the position.

And yes, I'm including Mo Camara in that equation, as Celtic are quickly finding out!

John Spicer, meanwhile, is a name that's been linked with a move to a higher level for a wee while now and I feel sure he can make the step up. Telford defender Duane Courtney is much more low-profile, but that may not necessarily be a bad thing. The price tag reflects a player who is taking a great leap, but because of that, few people will expect instant benefits from a youngster who will take time to adjust.

And anyway, what is £25,000 in the great scheme of things? You have to trust the manager in situations like that and even if the gamble ultimately fails to pay off it's pittance of a fee well spent.

Now the new lads are in place and the real hard work can begin. Steve's backroom team can get down to drilling the same group of players day in and day out and hopefully, with a change of luck to boot, we'll see the results on the field.

Losing Wayne Thomas to injury was undoubtedly the biggest blow of a forgettable August, but at his age he should make a full recovery and I would add my best wishes to the hundreds he has already received.

Nobody would ever wish such an injury on anybody and perhaps the one small blessing is that at least it happened prior to the transfer window closing and not after.

Despite Courtney's arrival, I expect the result will be that Frank Sinclair slots back in alongside John McGreal in the centre of defence - a partnership that won't worry supporters too much providing the duo can cut down on the number of bookings they pick up.

Discipline is going to be all important now if Steve is to keep fielding his best 11, and that's why Garreth O'Connor's red card in the last minute of the defeat at Reading was so stupid.

It was unprofessional in the least and the last thing Steve needs right now is to be without a key player for three games due to a reckless kick at an opponent.

Such things you just can't legislate for, and can make January seems a lifetime away.