ON Tuesday, as the clock approached midnight and January turned to February, the transfer window slammed shut with millions of pounds spent and huge contracts penned for players from all over the world.

RAFI RAZZAK has announced he will step down as Basingstoke Town chairman and withdraw his financial support at the end of the season as the club look towards a ‘Plan B’.

LAST WEEK I saw Basingstoke Town play at Hitchin. I was a little surprised to hear they had turned pro. Basingstoke is a sizeable town of more than 100,000 people, which makes it comparable to a handful of Football League locations. You would assume there’s upside potential.

ASK veteran manager Terry Brown if he’s thought of retiring in recent years and he quips: “Every time just before I got the sack!”