It turned out to be a busy transfer deadline day for Nottingham Forest on Monday, with Daryl Murphy among those to bid farewell.
The veteran frontman has linked up with League One outfit Bolton.
He joins the Trotters, in a deal confirmed on the club’s official website, after being freed from his contract at the City Ground.
With Sabri Lamouchi having made it clear that he would be favouring other options, the exit door was thrown open.
It took a while for Murphy to make his way through it, but he got there in the end.
And departs with his dignity very much intact.
Which is more than can be said for a number of those involved in late agreements pushed through before the summer window slammed shut.
A few of those leaving the City Ground did so with tails wedged firmly between their legs.
Murphy does not fit into that category.
Proud
He may not be to everyone’s taste, but can be proud of how he handled himself on Trentside.
From beginning to end, the 36-year-old was a model professional.
There was never any whinging about a lack of game time when competition mounted, or ill-advised responses to those quick to write him off.
Instead, he merely got on with his job.
And he made a decent fist of that.
Murphy was already in the ‘seasoned performer’ bracket by the time he arrived in Nottingham and has never been prolific – one 27-goal season at Ipswich in 2014-15 aside.
Throughout much of his career, the powerful Irishman has been asked to fill a support role.
At times he had to be the leading man at Forest.
Prior to the arrival of Lewis Grabban in 2018, there was not a lot of competition alongside Murphy.
Battled
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He always battled bravely, though, and would give his all whenever called upon.
His value was lost on some, but lauded by others.
A throwback striker very much from the old school, he offered something different to the cause.
Modern day defenders accustomed to dealing with lively frontmen working the channels and playing on the last man were presented with an altogether different kind of challenge in Murphy.
He is happiest playing in the face of opponents, with the odd calling card left when required.
Physicality is his biggest attribute, with a useful eye for goal thrown into the mix.
Forest benefited from those qualities and now have nobody of a similar ilk at their disposal.
A fabled ‘presence’ in the final third is no longer up the Reds’ sleeve.
Surprise
That could be considered a surprise to some extent, given that wing wizards Albert Adomah and Sammy Ameobi were among those acquired over the summer.
Murphy was always an option to introduce off the bench when times of need called for an approach that was a little more direct.
Bolton should be able to make the most of that skill set in the third tier.
Forest, meanwhile, move in a different direction.
Murphy could have opted to stay put, run down his deal and collect a bigger pay cheque than the one he is likely picking up with the Trotters.
Who knows, he may have even come into contention for competitive minutes should Grabban suffer another untimely knock.
He has, however, not taken the easy way out.
With the clock ticking on his career, Murphy wants minutes and a worthy cause to fight for.
That is all he ever wanted on Trentside, so good luck to him.
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