The month was only three days old when Hull City's vice chairman Ehab Allam decided January would either make or break a season. Out went Mike Phelan and in came Marco Silva, the man tasked with inspiring a miracle.
Allam attempted to calm the storm at that point, insisting it would only take "two or three key additions" to keep the Tigers in the Premier League. The rest of January would be spent fine-tuning -- not overhauling -- a squad inherited by the new head coach. Or so went the party line.
As the days count down towards deadline day, the picture could hardly look more different.