THIS transfer window isn't half a good idea! January came and went with only a few meaningful deals being struck in the Premiership.

However, the Nationwide League are thankfully not party to such a farcical restriction of movement and can sensibly strike deals all year long.

And the trio of new arrivals at Turf Moor - at a minimal cost to the cash-strapped Clarets, don't forget - certainly looks a sharp bit of business.

The alternative was for those players to keep playing reserve team football long after the echoing sound of a transfer window being slammed shut, waiting and waiting for that elusive first team chance.

Bradley Orr, Paul Rachubka and Neil Wood all fit the mould of players with everything to prove.

And it's looking increasingly like this is the way forward for clubs like ours, where all available funds have to be directed to keeping wolves from the door and maintaining a competitive first team squad.

Youth invariably takes a back seat, leaving the door open in many cases for the bigger sides, such as Manchester United and Blackburn, to cherry pick the cream of the talent through a combination of jaw-dropping facilities and deep pockets.

The bonus for us comes after that talent has been honed, but either deemed not quite good enough, or overlooked in favour of more experienced signings.

That allows astute managers like Stan Ternent to pick up the phone and snap up promising, untapped talent at a knock-down cost.

It's already happened twice this season, with Jay McEveley and Delroy Facey helping out the Clarets for a combined total of 19 games.

Now Newcastle starlet Orr has arrived on a potential three month loan with United paying all, yes, all the midfielder's wages.

Charlton are chipping in half of Rachubka's salary during his Turf Moor spell, while Alex Ferguson continues to be a friend indeed by contributing to Wood's loan.

Naturally, you cannot run a successful football club entirely this way. That blend of experience and youth is crucial, and players will always want the security of longer term deals.

But supplementing a small squad with short-term signings - maybe even hoping one or two can then be persuaded to stay once their loan spells are over - seems utterly sensible in an uncertain era.

And if the spiralling trend towards loan signings continues following the spectacular implosion of transfer fees, clubs will surely look to the next step of amending current Football League guidelines.

Now, clubs are allowed eight short term loans during the season, but not more than four at any one time.

They are also allowed to make four long term loans at any one time during a season.

A combination of both means up to eight loan signings can be on the books at any time.

Soon, that number may well need to be reviewed.