CHARLIE Wyke could afford a chuckle as the dust settled on another transfer window.

While the late-night madness unfolded in front of him, Wyke was relaxing in front of the telly with a cuppa.

He knows exactly what it is like to be in the eye of the storm on transfer deadline day.

Seven months earlier, it had been Wyke doing all the last-minute dashing about to complete his £250,000 move to City.

"Deadline day was really hectic last January when I signed from Carlisle," he said.

"I got a phone call on the morning, saying I had to get myself to Manchester for a medical. You can't sign until that happens.

"I was in Middlesbrough at home at the time so I went from there to Bradford, then on to Manchester and afterwards I went back to Bradford.

"I was just glad the M62 was okay because I didn't want any delays. I didn't get home until 12.30am, so it was a long day but worth it."

Players, like fans, are glued to the twice-yearly soap opera on Sky Sports and Wyke gets as excited about it as anyone.

He has some sympathy for those directly involved, having been there himself, but would not swap it back for the old system.

"I've watched Sky every deadline night and after what happened to me in January, I was feeling sorry for them," said the Bantams striker.

"As a player, you get caught up in it. I sit there with a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit and watch all the speculation.

"I haven't missed one in five years apart from last January, when I was driving back home.

"There have been some crazy deals over those years. It is also fun when you see a mate or even a team-mate.

"I have texted a couple and said, 'You didn't tell me about this?' But they can't, everything has to be kept under wraps.

"It is just normal now to have a window, people are used to it. Maybe it could be before a season to stop players leaving.

"Managers probably want that to happen, as they want to keep hold of their best players when bigger teams come calling. But to me, it just makes things more interesting."

City's original plan was to monitor Wyke for the second half of last season before making a move in the summer. James Hanson's move to Sheffield United immediately brought that forward – proof of how quickly the situation can change during the window.

Wyke said: "There had been a lot of talk before about Bradford but it was only later that I found out something might happen.

"There was probably about three days to go when things got a bit busier and I was talking to the chairman. But if I am honest, I didn't think anything would happen.

"I was focused on playing. I had a game the Saturday before and scored, which was a good thing for me.

"It was quite hard to put it out of the mind but the lads were great.

"I had team-mates saying things like 'you better not get injured tonight or Bradford won't want you', or that if I had a bad game the deal would be off!"

Even in these days of sources everywhere, some deals manage to stay under the radar until they are announced. Not so with Wyke.

But he could only blame himself after leaving his car, complete with personalised number plate, right outside the Valley Parade entrance.

"My car was a bit of a schoolboy mistake," he laughed, "especially as I parked it on double yellows, with the personal number plate 'C9 WYK' on it. I have got rid of that since then.

"It wasn't parked very well, either, right outside the stadium. Thankfully, there were no traffic wardens around that day or I could have been in trouble.

"I only found out later there were loads of pictures on social media. The club were thinking of covering it up with tape!"

Wyke is in good spirits after recovering from the hamstring injury he suffered in Austria.

He said: "Getting injured in the pre-season is not nice. All the lads are getting to know each other and there was me, having to sit in the physio room.

"The reception I got when I came back was brilliant. Everyone welcomed me back and it was really nice to hear.

"I feel good. I am not fully 100 per cent fit yet but I will hopefully get there in the next few weeks."