Transfer deadline day was fairly quiet at Oxford today, with one player coming in and one player leaving. Incoming was Courtney Pitt, a left-winger from Portsmouth and a ready-made replacement for Andy Scott, who joined Orient yesterday. Pitt is 22 years old, and was an apprentice at Chelsea when Rix was a coach there. Rix then signed Pitt for Portsmouth for ?200,000, but when Harry Redknapp took over Pitt found himself out of favour. Pitt has joined United until the end of the season

Leaving Oxford was Josias Carbon, who has joined Slough Town on loan. Carbon is a promising midfielder, andit is to be hoped that the standard of games at Slough will provide more of a challenge for him than playing in the stiffs for United. Slough are coached by former United midfielder Mickey Lewis, and managed by former United trainee Eddie Denton.

Other moves of note today saw former Us loan goalie Paul Gerrard join Nottingham Forest, on loan from Everton. Bristol Rovers have signed Ali Gibb (the forgotten Bee Gee?) from Stockport, Hull’s John Anderson, and long-haired Dane Bo Henriksen and Danny Williams from Kidderminster. We draw no conclusions whatsoever from the fact that Gibb was signed for Northampton by Ian Atkins in 1996. Rovers have also signed Stockport’s Aaron LeScott on loan. Former United triallist Mark DeBolla has joined Chesterfield on a free from Charlton, while another former Us target, Onandi Lowe, has signed for First Division Coventry City from Rushden & Diamonds. Former Osler Roader, Jermaine McSporran, has left Wycombe to join Walsall on a free transfer, and the Saddlers have also signed Pompey’s Lee Bradbury on a non-contract basis, scotching reports in some unreliable papers that he was going to join Oxford.