Lane boss eyes loan swoop

After failing to capture Bolton's Ivan Campo or Wigan's Kevin Kilbane before last weekend's transfer deadline, Robson's frustration was compounded by United's 3-2 defeat at Glanford Park.

The resultand performance marked a new low point of United's season so far and afterwards a visibly furious Robson condemned the players' attitude and application.

Robson will conduct a brief inquest into Saturday's events before overseeing preparations for September 15's visit of Wolves to Bramall Lane.

With Football League clubs still permitted to make temporary signings, he is expected to continue his pursuit of Campo and Kilbane as well as investigating other possibilities.

"I warned them all about the good things about Scunthorpe and what they would come up against," said Robson.

"They are a difficult side to play against here because it's a tight pitch and you don't get too much space to play your football.

"So what you've got to do is compete really well and anticipate on second balls so then you can get into the game and start passing, but we didn't do any of that.

"Then all of a sudden we started playing and put them on the back foot and we get back into the game.

"But the other thing for me that costs you points and matches is ill-discipline.

"That's what cost us when we got back to 2-2. The players didn't play with their football brains. We started giving needless free-kicks away and that cost us."

Wigan have already rejected one bid - believed to be around 1.4 million - from United for Kilbane and are unlikely to welcome another approach.

Although their hardline stance will not dampen Robson's interest, officials at Bolton's Reebok Stadium could prove more willing to do business and are understood to have given Campo permission to speak to other clubs.

United's Championship status is believed to be behind Campo's reticence to cross the Pennines.