Simon Sephton, Fans' Diarist, Friday September 3 2010, 8am

The transfer deadline has come and gone, and I must say I was a little suprised, possibly a little disappointed the squad has yet to be added to.

However, after hammering Crystal Palace 3-0 at the weekend in a match where we could have won my more, the starting XI seems to be doing okay for themselves and they will now be looking forward to a televised Carling Cup date with Manchester United!

With a couple of injuries biting, the squad does look a little thin, and I did expect one or maybe two new faces, but the gaffer was knocked back at every turn, with Henri Lansbury along numerous players who were enquired about, while Alan Judge went to Notts County instead of Glanford Park reportedly!

Still, the loan market soon reopens and if the right faces come along, I still expect one or two players to be added, especially now Premiership clubs have named their 25 man squads for the league season.

All of that said, I would rather we didn't bring players in simply to add numbers, they need to be better than what we already have.

Personally, I would have pushed the boat out to try and sign Rotherham's Adam Le Fondre. Someone will, and soon - and we can offer that spring board for young strikers of course!

Back to the players we do have, what a great job they did against Palace after a shaky start. Jonathan Forte scored twice, the second outstanding after a Brazilian-esque touch to take control and an unerring finish.

He will no doubt have been disappointed that Michael O'Connor 'pulled rank' to take the penalty even though he was on a hat-trick, but the right thing was done, as the game was still in the balance and O'Connor has done well from the spot thus far.

He is in great form in midfield, and it surely can not be long before he gets back in the Northern Ireland squad. At the end of the day, he is better than many players in that squad, including our former player Grant McCann.

The international break has come at a good time, we can now reassess, rest and prepare ourself for our next set of games - which includes the little matter of a television date with a tiny club from Manchester.

What a draw that was, but a little part of me was hoping to get a big club away from home. However, the tv cameras are coming, hoping for an upset.

Many are expected a weakened Man Utd team, so that is likely to include unknown names like Michael Owen, Michael Carrick, Gary Neville, Macheda, Anderson - the list goes on.

No doubt, the confined spaces of a packed Glanford Park is not what they are used to. However, we have nothing to lose, and what a night that could potentially be and a good little earner for the club.

I can't wait.

Up the Iron!