MARTIN Paterson has called for the January transfer window to be scrapped, claiming it is of no benefit to clubs or players.

The 25-year-old has never moved mid-season, but with team-mate Charlie Austin at the centre of speculation over his future ahead of the Christmas fixtures – starting with tomorrow’s trip to Birmingham City – Paterson believes it is time for a review of trading rules.

Austin has attracted interest from Premier League clubs all season, while Championship rivals Brighton are reported to have a serious interest in the 22-goal top scorer.

But while Paterson insists the Clarets won’t be fazed by Austin being linked with a New Year move, he feels it should not even be an option.

“People have clicked on to January,” said the striker.

“It’s a very difficult time to get good buys.

“Sometimes through the years people have done business in January and it’s been a panic buy that’s not been quite right for either party.

“I don’t think it’s a fantastic window, in my opinion. If I was a manager I wouldn’t go shopping in January. I’ve never moved in January, and to be honest I don’t want to either. It’s not for me, this particular transfer window.

“If I had my way I’d ban it and just have a summer transfer window.

“It stops people touting and looking at players that aren’t their own. I think it should be banned and just have a summer window, or go back to how it used to be.

“The problem with that is you could buy players at any time – that would be crazy.

“There isn’t a happy medium, but I’d just have it in the summer.

“If you can’t get your squad together then, that’s your tough luck.”

But with the rules as they are, Paterson says the attention Austin is receiving is no surprise plenty of attention.

He is confident the former Swindon Town hotshot is going nowhere in the New Year though.

“If you score that amount of goals at this time of the year I’m sure there things written and people that will show an interest,” Paterson said.

“You can’t score that amount of goals and not have people look at you, but I personally don’t see him going in January.

“There’s hardly been anything said (between the players).

“He’s concentrating on scoring as many goals as he can and everyone else is trying to help him out and do their own thing as well.

“There’s not much said which makes me believe there will be any departures in January, in my opinion.”

Instead Paterson explained the buzz was more about sharing out the goals.

“Charlie scores a good amount of our goals and it’s time for people to chip in and help him, myself included. I should be chipping in with more,” he said.

“We’re halfway through the season and I’m still trying to get to the target that I set myself at the start.

“I’ve been playing out wide but I don’t like to use that as an excuse because you can still score goals no matter where you play.

“I would say it’s slightly harder because you’ve got to do the defensive side of things but I wouldn’t like to hide behind that as an excuse.

“I’ve had a couple of half chances that I should have converted and if selected for the next couple of games I’ll be trying even more so to get on the scoresheet, and if I do I feel I might go on a little cheeky run, no matter where I play.

“Once I get a couple under my belt I’ll be all right I think, the problem is getting a couple under your belt, and then kicking on.

“But I’m quite confident in myself that if I do get a couple of good chances I’ll put them away.”

And Paterson believes others are in a similar frame of mind as the Clarets bid to end a four-game winless run at St Andrew’s.

“I’m sure other people will chip in as we go along hopefully,” he said.

“I think now we need to start chipping in with Charlie and if we can do that we should be okay.”