Halford motors into Valley
While most speculation regarding Charlton and Sunderland on transfer deadline day focused on Andy Reid's switch to Wearside, versatile right-back Greg Halford moved in the opposite direction.
The 23-year-old, famed for a mammoth long throw-in, completed a third switch in 12 months to sign on loan at The Valley for the rest of the season.
"He's coming here on loan and I think he's got a lot to prove,” said manager Alan Pardew.
"It didn't work out for him at Reading, it didn't work out for him at Sunderland, so I think he needs to be a success here, but I think he will be a massive asset for us.”
Chelmsford-born Halford started his career at Colchester United, and made 163 appearances for the U's before sealing a £2.5m switch to Reading on January 30th, 2007, when he became the Royals' record signing.
Halford would make just three appearances at the Madejski Stadium, however, as he found himself behind Graeme Murty and Ulises de la Cruz in the pecking order, and he was on the move again in the summer, sealing a £3m switch to Premier League new boys Sunderland.
Two red cards in his opening seven games for the Black Cats hampered his progress in the North East somewhat, and after also featuring twice for Sunderland in December, the six-foot-four Halford will be reunited with the man who handed him his senior debut at Layer Road, former U's boss Phil Parkinson.
"Phil feels he will be able to get the best out of him," added Pardew.
"Greg has assets that will be useful for us. He can play across the back four, and across the midfield to some degree."
Indeed, Halford struck eight times in 2005/06 - all before the start of December - to help Parkinson's Colchester side to promotion to the Championship.
After breaking into the U's side as a right-back, Halford occupied a vast array of positions for the Essex club, featuring further forward on the right, in central midfield and even as a striker.
He knows where the goal is, too, and his 24 goals for United included an FA Cup hat-trick against Rushden & Diamonds four days before his 20th birthday.
Halford's senior debut came in April 2003 against Luton Town, and after three further appearances at the start of the following season, he burst to prominence from January onwards.
His first goal came in a home defeat to Hartlepool United in March, and by the end of his first full season, he had made 24 appearances and netted a further three goals.
Nine goals the next season - including that treble at Nene Park - saw the scouts flocking to Layer Road, and he was joined in Essex by new Addicks clubmate Chris Iwelumo for the 2005/06 campaign.
Promotion followed come May and Halford continued to be viewed as one of the hottest commodities outside the top flight as the unfashionable U's tackled the Championship last term.
He added three more goals - his final one coming in the big Essex derby with Southend United - before Steve Coppell swelled the Layer Road coffers and brought him to the Madejski Stadium on January 30th, 2007.
A last-minute substitute in Reading's 0-0 draw against Portsmouth on March 17th, Halford's full debut came at Tottenham Hotspur when he was rather unlucky to concede a penalty for handball.
His third and final outing for the Royals came against Watford, before he was on the move again this summer.
After debuting in the 2-2 draw at Birmingham City in Sunderland's second game of the season, Halford subsequently saw red in the Carling Cup clash at Luton, and then against Fulham at The Stadium of Light.
His last appearance for the Wearsiders came on December 12th against Chelsea, and the former England youth and U20 international will be keen to get his career back on track at The Valley.
Indeed, Halford joined Darren Ambrose at the prestigious Toulon U20 tournament in 2005, playing four times as England finished in third place.
The then frontman netted a scorcher against South Korea as England finished second in their group, and although he scored in a semi-final penalty shoot-out against France, England lost on spot-kicks before prevailing from 12 yards against Mexico in their final outing.
Having completed the loan capture before the end of the transfer deadline on Thursday, Halford will be available for Pardew's squad for Saturday's away match against Scunthorpe United.
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