Window has been major plus, despite transfer constraints

As summer transfer windows go, there cannot have been too many like the one we've just stumbled through at Hull City, and there will be a collective sigh of relief that it’s now over.

- By BARRY COOPER

All talk of transfers, trying to structure deals, and who will come and who will go can be parked for a little while at least, until it all kicks off again in January for four weeks of condensed silliness at the start of the New Year.

A chaotic period during the most bizarre of summers ended as it started for City, with a young, talented, highly-rated midfielder arriving on a permanent deal.

Unfortunately, one of them has not yet played a single minute in a Tigers jersey, while the other hopes he has a great deal more success.

In the case of Reda Laalaoui, City’s first signing back in mid-June, he's fallen victim to the transfer restrictions that were imposed on the club by a very angry EFL at the start of July.

At the other end of the spectrum, Darko Gyabi closed the club's business on Monday when he arrived from close neighbours Leeds United, who, in fairness, have played their part over the past few months.

In waiving a loan fee for fan favourite Joe Gelhardt and now releasing a player they paid £5m for a couple of years ago, the much-maligned West Yorkshire club couldn’t have done much more to help their near neighbours in their latest hour of need.

City’s summer has been fraught with trouble.

From the moment the EFL dispatched a pigeon carrying a post-it note from HQ in Preston informing them they couldn’t buy anyone for almost two years, it’s been a case of making the best of a bad situation.

Whether the club were harshly treated or not by the EFL is now a moot point because the punishment stands, and they've got to move on. Ultimately, they are where they are, and cannot wallow in self-pity, anger or frustration. They've not helped themselves, and Acun Ilicali knows lessons must be learned, but some of their work has been tremendous and showed genuine ambition in bringing in certain figures and keeping others.