As I lay reclining alone on my sun-clad bench in the North of England indulging in my own calm before the storm, football clubs across England and Scotland are frantically on a search for that special someone. That someone who can turn a season on it’s head, reignite the furore of the crowd and begin to write their own dazzling chapters into footballing history. Reporters are going wild, rumours rife of strikers spotted in estate agents from Accrington to Arsenal, that 40-year-old free agent is seen refuelling in a rush somewhere along the M1 you are praying isn’t bound yet again for the York turnoff. Yes, it is Transfer Deadline Day.

The money being thrown around by the bigwigs is universally recognised as ridiculous. At 6pm today, the English transfer window will close after two months of wheeling and dealing that has seen over £850 million spent on sportsmen simply swapping jerseys. Manchester United’s record spend of £36million on French teenage sensation Antony Martial looks to be the “deal of the day”, whilst their near neighbours Manchester City are putting their proverbial feet up having already coughed up over £120million themselves on bringing new blood to the Etihad.

Meanwhile however, those of us affiliated with the less affluent outfits are left to chew our nails and pray that our local talent has not been detected by the elite’s ever-increasingly insightful scouting networks. Deftly disguised with notebook in one hand and mobile in the other, they creep amongst us in our stands, scribbling down essentials and licking their lips like a lion picking his entree amidst an unsuspecting herd of gazelle.

So often we see it. The young and naive are clawed away from their families, both nuclear and footballing, with false assurances of glory, glitz and glamour by the big boys. Then before we know it, the phantasm of King’s Road nightclubs and midweek excursions to European estadios are quashed and these young lads come crashing down to reality in a lay-by on a broken down bus en route to Harrogate Railway.

Transfer Deadline Day for our lower league clubs, quite frankly, can be petrifying. Sure, there is the unyielding optimism that instils itself within you that your club may be able to sneak a loan deal coup of a household name that saw the light and simply wanted to play the sport he has devoted his life to. However, more familiar is the cocktail of fear and dread that the one shining beacon in your decrepit squad flirting with relegation may just jump ship with minutes to spare.

Southampton fans undoubtedly know the feeling well. Their home-grown talent is purely down to what is a fantastic youth academy on the South Coast. Nevertheless, their pockets are continually picked as the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid and Liverpool throw bags of silver at their chairman whose eyes light up in their glistening reflection. The stature of Southampton has grown over the last 5 years, but at what expense? The club has undoubtedly sold the backbone of a side that could have pushed the elusive “Top 4” over time.

The same is true across the border where Hibernian continue to nurture and develop those from across the capital before seeing their darlings’ eyes caught by the flickering eyelashes of the evermore bountiful Glaswegian outfits. A transfer fee is agreed for their trouble, but meagre compensation for what has been lost (which includes their top division status).

These transactions are rarely about greed for lower league clubs. Far from it, in fact. When the bid comes in, the chairman simply cannot reject astronomical amounts for a starlet, stubbornly holding onto the toned torso of his prize possession for dear life like an uncompromising seller at a Flog It auction. There is the will of the employee (a relationship which has become increasingly imbalanced as of late for the owner) to consider. Not to mention the vile temptress that is the modern day agent. Recklessly tossing morals aside and undeterred by the questionable welfare of their client in a constant bid for personal gain, they rain havoc on smaller clubs and players, before walking away from the chaos down a road directly to the bank.

It is with a heavy heart that I must single out Chelsea as the main culprits of this career-crippling facade. They hoard potential wonder kids with their sole intention often being that they don’t want anyone else to have them. These unknown names are slapped across Sky Sports News feeds creating a huge sense of self worth before, in a blink of an eye, being re-submerged into the abyss for seasons to come.

Today alas, is no different. As I write, Chelsea are hammering out a £4million deal that will see Reading FC’s hot prospect Michael Hector make the short trip to Stamford Bridge less than two months after pledging his future to his current club with a new three-year contract. Is he the final piece in Jose’s jigsaw that will see club captain John Terry put out to pasture with a regretful glance over a shoulder, yet unfaltering sense of confidence that his clean sheets are in safe hands? You may sense my unfaltering scepticism.

There is nothing wrong with the investment of younger potential for those with ageing squads, it is logistically sound and shows sensible foresight. Chelsea have feeder clubs whose sole purpose is to nurture and develop those destined for the upper echelons of the Premier League in years to come. However, if young Hector has been bought to then be told he shall ply his trade outside of London this season, he shall be the 31st under Chelsea’s ruling this window near guaranteed to never play for the club despite what their contract may suggest.

Loan players do play a vital role and they keep the lower leagues alive. With finances often inflexible and crowds seemingly diminished by faltering form or wintry weather, the injection of flair and flamboyancy into what has been a stagnate side can give a club the boost they need to challenge those around and above them. Wages are often paid by the parent club as they look to offer the exposure such a move creates for an upcoming talent, and with the performances on the pitch both sides are ultimately rewarded.

It is however, still with great caution that those of the likes of Leagues 1 and 2 must approach Transfer Deadline Day. Granted, there are scraps to be had and the odd unpolished diamond in the rough crying out to be treasured and nurtured in a true family club environment. But these rare gems will only shine if you can surround them with those you proudly kept hold of.