For Leeds fans, the transfer window was something that happened to other clubs.
They were like kids with their faces pressed up against the sweetie shop window as their pals all left smiling, clutching their goodies.
Signing 18-year-old Spanish striker Mateo Joseph for Mark Jackson’s Under-23s does not begin to compare to Newcastle’s splurge, Everton’s deadline day captures of Dele Alli and Donny van de Beek or even Burnley signing Wout Weghorst.
Supporters’ reaction on social media was a mixture of disappointment, frustration and anger and they grumbled that chairman Andrea Radrizzani was not prepared to splash the cash.
In the cold light of the morning after deadline day, Leeds’ transfer window was far from being the disaster some feel it was.
No, they didn’t sign anyone, but they wisely refused to pay over the odds for top target Brenden Aaronson and turned down the offer of players they knew would not fit Marcelo Bielsa’s style.
Such coolness when everyone around you is throwing money at the transfer market should not be criticised.
They were right to stop the bidding for Aaronson at £20million.
It was obvious Red Bull Salzburg were not going to sell the US international in January and Leeds risked overpaying for the attacking midfielder by offering more.
They are not Newcastle and have to operate within a budget.
Victor Orta and his team have done their homework on Aaronson and feel the 21-year-old has great potential and can blossom into a Premier League player.
But he has still only had one year in the Austrian Bundesliga and Takumi Minamino’s struggles at Liverpool show it is not guaranteed that a player can successfully step straight from there into the Premier League.
Leeds can return for Aaronson in the summer when Red Bull will be more willing to sell.
Leeds also did not panic and sign just anyone to get bodies in through the door.
They were offered the chance to sign Harry Winks, Aaron Ramsey and van de Beek, but declined because the players and the deals were not right for them.
They had a look at Minamino and Chelsea’s Kenedy in case Crysencio Summerville left, but wisely rejected all loan interest in the Dutch winger and held on to him.
Leeds chose to be hard to please in January because the consistent message from Bielsa is that he believes his squad is good enough to stay up.
Bielsa dislikes signing players in January because he feels any new acquisition needs a proper pre-season with him to adapt to his exacting physical standards.
He was not badgering Orta every day, asking where his new signings were and he has total faith in his squad.
Injuries have crippled Leeds and although it feels like I’ve been saying this since the autumn, they will improve when they get the likes of Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips back.
Leeds have shown what they are capable of with their current squad with their magnificent win at West Ham and their general performance levels have been good.
The relegated clubs will come from the bottom three and I feel Brentford are in much greater danger than Leeds.
Leeds are only four points off 10th place and should be looking up with hope rather than down with dread.
