SWINDON TOWN fans knew it had been a quiet transfer deadline day for them when it was only the third best sports story on local radio the following morning.

Just two bits of business were successfully conducted; Louis Thompson extended his loan deal from Norwich until the end of the season, something that had been flagged up weeks in advance.

And want-away striker Michael Smith got his loan move. Smith had expressed a desire to head back north nearer his family. He has gone to Portsmouth!

With Swindon only four places above the relegation places it was no surprise to hear that the vast majority in an online fans’ poll expressed themselves ‘disappointed’ with the club’s deadline-day activities.

Perhaps even more disappointed is Swindon’s Iraqi international midfielder Yaser Kasim, whose dream move to Premiership Swansea faltered at the 11th hour. The Welsh club switched their attentions instead to a loan deal for QPR’s Leroy Fer.

Town manager Luke Williams described Kasim this week as an ‘incredible player’.

He is the only member of Swindon Town’s team who would be seriously on the radar of any Premiership club and having seen Massimo Luongo, Ben Gladwin and Nathan Byrne all move to a higher level after last season’s play-off campaign – – Kasim must be gutted to be overlooked for a second time.

Williams put it aptly on Tuesday night after the first back-to-back defeats of his managerial career at Swindon – 1-0 away to Port Vale. He said: “It’s like going from working on the till at Tesco’s to being managing director in terms of income and lifestyle.

“To be so close, he must have been dreaming about that. But he will play at the top level, there is no doubt.”

Hopefully, Kasim will be professional enough to keep putting in the sort of displays that make watching him worth the entrance fee alone – until he eventually gets his move away.

Chairman Lee Power also revealed on Tuesday that it was as much the satisfaction of Williams and assistant Ross Embleton with the current squad and developing youngsters as well as the desire to work with a smaller squad that prompted the lack of transfer window activity.

For that reason the club did not wholeheartedly pursue Middlesbrough’s Jack Stephens, who has gone to Coventry City instead. And their valuation of Exeter striker target Tom Nichols was only half the £500,000 fee that Peterborough have reportedly paid for him.

Williams also clearly did not fancy Yelko Pino, the Celta Vigo midfielder who has been training with Town for months (under three different managers) in pursuit of a deal but has now been released back to Spain.

The Williams-prompted make-do policy until next season did bite him in the bum on Tuesday night when Swindon were belatedly left without three first team regulars – Branco (groin), Turnbull (hamstring) and Ajose (concussion).

The 177 travelling Swindon fans at Port Vale saw their side lose out to a sixth-minute winner after which they enjoyed 64 per cent of the possession, albeit creating just one significant chance.

On the plus side they saw a return to form for long-time injured captain Nathan Thompson and perhaps a crown jewel for the future.

Jordan Young, a left-sided striker, became the fourth youngest player ever to wear a Town shirt at 16years and 186 days.

He came on for an impressive second half cameo and left Williams drooling.

“Jordan showed tremendous composure for a young player,” said the boss. “As he develops he could be something special.”