Dick Knight is polarising opinion among Albion fans more than at any time during his period as chairman.

But he deserves credit for what he has achieved in the transfer window.

Even his most devoted disciples must have been sceptical when he promised five new players by the end of the month.

And how many fans would have believed that among the recruits would be the biggest cash signing the club have made for more 25 years?

I suspect quite a few imagined a repeat of last year's scenario when Albion tried to sign three players on deadline day and none of the deals came off, leading to a lot of disappointment and resentment among supporters.

This year, as Knight promised, five players have arrived.

And when the window does close tonight there will not be many clubs from Championship level down who will have splashed out £300,000 on a player as Albion have on Glenn Murray.

We will find out whether Murray is worth it or not in the fullness of time, but my initial reaction was that it is a lot of money to pay for a player still unproven outside League Two.

And long-standing Albion fans might remember the fate of the last player the club got from Rochdale.

Jason Peake was the club's most expensive signing for six years when Jimmy Case signed him for £120,000 in 1996. He must have been enthused by the move because our photographer even persuaded him to pose on the beach in a black vest and white tennis shorts on the day he signed.

A year later Peake was heading back north to Bury, having scored once in 30 appearances.

Dean Wilkins and Barry Lloyd have clearly done their homework on Murray and you cannot argue with his goals-to-games ratio. And as well as the goals he scores himself there are the ones he could create for Nicky Forster too.

If Murray could oblige with, say, eight between now and the end of the season it might just make the difference to Albion's play-off bid, despite Tuesday's setback at Northampton.

Meanwhile, I wonder what Bas Savage makes of Albion's transfer activity as he trains with Kilmarnock this week. A month ago he was Forster's regular partner and popular with the fans and his team-mates.

I bet he thinks that if Albion could have spared just some of the £300,000 they have invested in Murray he would still be at the club.

Are you pleased with Albion's transfer dealings?