Grounds For Divorce

If football transfers were akin to divorce, then many Reds supporters will be filling out their decree nisi, following the recent news that the former Reds talisman Chris O'Grady has penned a loan deal with local rivals Sheffield United until the end of January.

Perhaps that's a bit of a strong statement? Let's face it, the marriage became less suited to our circumstances and it would have been expensive marriage to maintain anyway. It would have been folly to empty the family coffers to keep it going.

Before the first pair of socks went in to his suitcase, O'Grady said, "I have always wanted to play at the highest level possible, and I still want to play in the Premier League, but sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards and staying with Barnsley in League One is definitely a good option". Any reasonable fan could understand those aspirations.

There was little surprise when the door closed behind him on 19 July 2014, when it was announced that our 2013/14 Player of the Season had eloped with the Seagulls in Brighton. We were certainly going to miss his goals, moreover we were going to miss his character and his ability to carry the hopes and desires of the Oakwell faithful on his shoulders.

The fee was undisclosed, rumoured to be modest amount for a striker with a tally of 15 goals in the Championship last season, somehow this just didn't feel like a fair settlement.

Maybe he would return? The rumour mill certainly suggested that this could be a possibility and the flames were fanned further in October, when Danny Wilson told BBC Radio Sheffield, "We didn't want Chris to go in the first place so if he was available then we would ask the question".

O'Grady stumbled at Brighton, failing to score in eleven appearances this term. The Blades turned his eye with an escape route and who would bet against the move becoming permanent next year?

Does that make us a jealous ex? Possibly. From opposite ends of the Jeremy Kyle show stage we could plead it was adultery anyway - despite us being "on a break". That's it now. Game over. It looks as though we've gone our separate ways for good.

It's time for the decree absolute. Does Judge Rinder do divorces?