Some were optimistically expecting jazz as the transfer window reached its conclusion but as so often in recent years we have ended up with another case of the blues. With so much uncertainty in the past six weeks and so little explanation, Charlton fans want somebody to face the music.

Things had been looking up on the pitch – not least with that fantastic outing to Old Trafford. Many feel that if somebody like Dean Holden had been in charge and supported before the start of the season, we might have been a whole lot closer to recent opponents Bolton in the league table. But after Saturday's defeat, the play-off horizon probably went out of view.

So time to put in place the building blocks for next season?

Yet again that hasn't happened. For Charlton fans of late, transfer deadline days are when all our hopes and expectations go out the window. Possibly this latest one is the worst episode in a bad series. It reeks of a cost-cutting exercise, trimming the squad down to such bare bones that, at best, we will limp through in mid-table and into our fourth consecutive season in the third division.

But sitting in fifteenth place, we may not be out of the woods of a relegation battle. We've just shipped out three players to lower table cash-splashing rivals - Charlie Kirk and Sam Lavelle to Burton Albion and Jayden Stockley to Fleetwood where he's talking about big intentions at his new club. A subtle dig perhaps? We’ll find out on 11 February when they are the visitors at The Valley.

Add to that, the loan of Diallang Jaiyesimi to Wimbledon and the sale of Eoghan O'Connell to Wrexham. Some of us applauded the brave efforts of Wrexham in the cup match v Sheffield United, trying not to be too green-eyed at their Hollywood backing and sold-out home ground. We felt sorry for them, losing two centre halves to injury in the first ten minutes, yet battling on. Little did we realise then that they would knock at our door waving wads of money to entice away one of our defenders, one who only arrived in the summer, one who had just returned from injury to bolster our squad.

On paper the experienced Michael Hector and promising Gavin Kilkenny should be positive additions. But they have barely played a first team match this season. It's a case of two coming in the door and five going out on deadline day. All deals are short-term, just like Holden’s contract.

So the question now is who should face the music for all this? And just to be clear, we are not under a secret transfer embargo as the EFL now publish the list. It's likely this is all part of the anticipated musical chairs in the boardroom which right now feels more like a game of blind man's bluff at a time when the squad could soon be in the buff if hit with a few more injuries and suspensions.