WANDERERS’ loan deadline day proved infinitely more entertaining than the last but it was only once the dust had settled that the full story of a busy day emerged.

On the face of it, Phil Parkinson and Ken Anderson had left it late – very late, in fact. But they ended the day by signing the player who had been ear-marked as their number one target, and very nearly added another striker with significant Championship experience.

Christian Doidge was not a name familiar to Bolton fans when the day began but it quickly became clear he was one of the three players for whom Ken Anderson had been bidding for the last week, or so. Little did we know at the time, but he was top of the list.

Having missed out on Charlie Wyke and Joe Garner – whose price had escalated beyond what Wanderers were willing to pay – Parkinson was keen to add another muscular presence to his front line, and preferably one with a decent track record of scoring goals.

Doidge and Liam Boyce were the two lower league players being vigorously chased but both Forest Green and Burton Albion were digging in their heels.

So keen was Brewers boss Nigel Clough to keep hold of Northern Irish goal-getter Boyce that he switched off his phone on Thursday and was uncontactable, even to members of his own staff. A trick pulled straight from the pages of Clough Senior’s textbook, perhaps?

A deal which had progressed further than many Bolton fans had thought was Derby County’s David Nugent – and it is understood a fee was agreed for the experienced one-time England international as the Rams looked to strip one of their higher-earning players from the books to comply with Financial Fair Play.

Frustration over the lack of progress with Boyce gave way to determination on Doidge when League Two Rovers finally relented on their desire to keep hold of top-scorer Doidge and began talking again. A fee which will touch the £1million mark depending on a string of bonuses was agreed mid-afternoon.

As the deadline approached, Wanderers rushed through the paperwork to complete the Doidge deal while revisiting the idea of bringing in Nugent as well.

The former Bury striker had started the majority of Derby’s games this season but such was the club’s need to curb their wage bill, a good deal was on the table for Bolton to complete. It was only when Hull City succeeded in their attempt to sign Chris Martin that Rams boss Frank Lampard put a stop on any more of his strikers leaving the building.

Connor Hall had the pick of half a dozen clubs in Leagues One and Two – and may have been heading to Rochdale had they not succeeded in a bid for ex-Wanderer Zach Clough. When Doidge’s deal went through, Accrington Stanley looked the best bet for the 20-year-old to continue his impressive development.

News also broke during the day that ex-Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse had trained for two days at Lostock to showcase his talent and fitness. He succeeded in doing so, but once the subject of his £150,000-a-week wage in China was brought up, Wanderers’ chances immediately went south.

An acquaintance of Lee Anderson, one of the recruitment advisors at Bolton, the 33-year-old was keen to move to the North West where he owns a home in Wilmslow.

His contract at Shandong Lueng runs out at the end of December and the club had indicated they were willing to loan him out for the last three months.

Only regarded as a wildcard in Wanderers’ striker hunt, one final effort to strike a deal was meant to happen on Friday morning when the striker came in for a third day of training. But on the advice of his representatives, Cisse was on a flight to Turkey as his potential team-mates filed through the gates for work.

The Senegal international has indicated he would be open to discuss a deal when he becomes a free agent in January, assuming he does not earn one elsewhere in the meantime.

Unlike so many deadline days in recent history, Wanderers ended up by landing their man – and keeping hold of their own.

Had Blackburn Rovers not stood firm to keep hold of Bradley Dack under a reported £15m offer from West Brom, we may have seen Tony Mowbray’s distant interest in Josh Vela become a reality.

For Vela, Nugent and Boyce, we wait for January and the next chapter. In the meantime Wanderers have got an impressive start to the Championship season to continue.