With Friday’s transfer deadline fast approaching, few have greater insight into what it takes to stay at the centre of all the action than former Sky Sports presenter Jim White.
The 66-year-old spent 23 years at Sky, where he became iconic for his bright yellow tie and deadline day presenting.
As such, the Scot featured in Mail Sport’s Transfer News Live 48-hour stream ahead of Friday’s deadline, sharing some of his fondest memories of deadline days over the past, having covered some 44 iterations himself in the past.
White joined Mail Sport writers Craig Hope and Sami Mokbel in the studio on Thursday evening, with little over 24 hours to go in what has already been a seismic transfer window.
And he recalled the impact of the early Deadline Day shows, saying: ‘The very nature of it (Transfer Deadline Day) – the countdown nature of it – is crucially important, and people buy into that!
Jim White appeared on Mail Sport’s 48-hour Transfer Deadline live stream and told some of his favourite stories from the past
![QPR were stunned when Peter Odemwingie turned up uninvited at the club on deadline day](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/31/19/24021810-12467151-QPR_were_stunned_when_the_West_Brom_striker_turned_up_uninvited_-a-18_1693506420208.jpg)
QPR were stunned when Peter Odemwingie turned up uninvited at the club on deadline day
![Then QPR boss Harry Redknapp told Odemwingie to hold up in a hotel as the club worked on finalising the deal](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/31/19/67156981-12467151-The_QPR_boss_told_Odemwingie_to_hold_up_in_a_hotel_as_the_club_w-a-19_1693506423668.jpg)
Then QPR boss Harry Redknapp told Odemwingie to hold up in a hotel as the club worked on finalising the deal
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‘When it started off, the first two or three of them had a major impact on the general public, they loved it, and then of course everybody becomes involved in it. I think I did 44 of them or something like that, but everybody always says “is that the best one you’ve done, the last one?” and I would always say “No, the next one!”‘
But it was not long before White was telling some of his favourite memories from deadline days gone by, including some now infamous incidents.
‘I was on tenterhooks the night that (Mesut) Ozil went to Arsenal, I remember that – would it happen, would it not?’ he began. ‘(Andrey) Arshavin – they had to get extra time to get that over the line because of the weather from wherever he was coming in.
‘Peter Odemwingie is a standout, he just pitches up at Loftus Road, like “Hi there, somebody interview me because I’d like to sign for QPR”
‘One standout – I never thought it would actually happen, did you honestly think Fernando Torres would go to Chelsea for £50m?! And yet he did. I couldn’t believe it, and I was front and centre of it all and I couldn’t believe what was going on.
‘No deadline day was complete without Harry Redknapp, he was magnificent for so many years – whether it was arriving with the window down going “You alright? Do you want a cup of tea?” or when he came into the studio.
‘Harry was wonderful because he bought into it, and as long as people buy into it it’s drama and theatre that consumes the country!’
For White, though, there were also dangers in paying too much credence to every single rumour that arose during the deadline day drama, with some more far-fetched tips rearing up with the clock ticking.
![Rival clubs were left fuming when Arsenal announced the signing of Russia's Euro 2008 star Andrei Arshavin nearly 24 hours after the deadline had passed in January 2009](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/31/19/24021994-12467151-Rival_clubs_were_left_fuming_when_Arsenal_announced_the_signing_-a-20_1693506669204.jpg)
Rival clubs were left fuming when Arsenal announced the signing of Russia’s Euro 2008 star Andrei Arshavin nearly 24 hours after the deadline had passed in January 2009
![Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti poses with record £50m signing Fernando Torres in 2011](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/31/19/24021714-12467151-Chelsea_manager_Carlo_Ancelotti_poses_with_record_50m_signing_Fe-a-21_1693506672625.jpg)
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti poses with record £50m signing Fernando Torres in 2011
![Mesut Ozil signed for Arsenal for a then-record £42.5million back in 2013 from Real Madrid](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/31/19/74931691-12467151-image-m-16_1693506183157.jpg)
Mesut Ozil signed for Arsenal for a then-record £42.5million back in 2013 from Real Madrid
![White was once perhaps erroneously tipped that Kaka was pictured at Seven Sisters in London on deadline day](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/08/31/19/74931709-12467151-image-a-17_1693506238780.jpg)
White was once perhaps erroneously tipped that Kaka was pictured at Seven Sisters in London on deadline day
‘So many people will send you off on wild goose chases, you cannot possibly believe everything you’re told or you can get in some really deep water.
‘I remember getting a text from some guy saying “Jim, I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t for real, I’m standing next to Kaka and I’m at Seven Sisters station!” and I’m like “No you’re not – and he’s not there either!”
However, not every alert resulted in a bank-breaking transfer deal, as White hilariously told Mail Sport viewers.
‘One frantic night, I remember being on and I said “We’re getting information all the time!” And I looked down to see a text message, but it was a reminder for a dental appointment!’