STAR reporter James Shield looks at the underlying trend of incoming transfers to Sheffield United, Wednesday, Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers, Rotherham United and Chesterfield.
THE REGION'S football managers have kept one eye fixed firmly on the balance sheet throughout their dealings in the transfer market this summer.
Six clubs, 18 players and just over £1.2m officially spent represents a stark contrast to events 12 months ago when Sheffield United broke their transfer record to sign former England international James Beattie for a cool £4m.
But with the new season fast approaching, only Simon Davey of Barnsley has been forced to put his hand in his pocket as he attempts to improve on last season's 18th placed finish.
Davey's willingness to spend is understandable - Barnsley were the lowest ranked of the trio of South Yorkshire clubs competing in the Championship last term - and much will be expected of Iain Hume and Mounir El Haimour when they open their campaign at QPR on August 9.
Darren Moore should add steel and experience to Davey's backline but Hugo Colace is an unknown quantity.
Rivals Sheffield United and Wednesday have signed two apiece without the need to loosen the purse strings.
Wednesday, awaiting the outcome of Geoff Sheard's proposed takeover, will include James O'Connor and Jimmy Smith in their first-team squad; the latter joining on loan from Champions League finalists Chelsea.
Kevin Blackwell, Brian Laws' counterpart at Bramall Lane, has also used the loan market wisely with Greg Halford arriving from Sunderland while Sun Jihai, a free agent after leaving Manchester City, has been lured across the Pennines.
Like their neighbours, Doncaster Rovers, fresh from securing promotion to England's second-tier, also appear to have bought wisely with Darren Byfield and John Spicer brought-in to boost Sean O'Driscoll's options.
Rotherham's well-documented financial problems have not prevented Mark Robins, who has done an admirable job in difficult circumstances, to capture Alex Rhodes, Mark Lynch, Michael Cummins and Mark Brutal.
But possibly some of the most intriguing pieces of business have come at Saltergate where Lee Richardson appears to have made two particularly astute acquisitions.
Joining Danny Hall and Kevin Austin at Chesterfield are Robert Page and Darren Currie, who both threaten to be major forces in League Two. Page, a former Wales centre-half, should be able to nulify most forwards in the division while Currie, mysteriously over-looked by bigger clubs earlier in his career, has the talent to unlock the meanest defence.
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