Manager: Aiden (Yorkshire)
Since: 2011 (committee member, Director of Wry Tweets)
Last season: 15th
Trophy cabinet: Empty (highest league position – last season)
Sympathies: Sheffield Wednesday
Darts music: Hawaii 5-0 theme
Outlook: Up there amongst the best all-time Brambles when the hapless Marouane Chamakh replaced £33m Carlos Tevez, but the Fadges boss recovered well to bring some solid purchases to the club’s Bikini Lane stadium. Paid through the nose for Eden Hazard, but on the evidence of the first game he looks an exciting prospect. Manager yet to prove himself in the domestic arena.
(B) = player awarded under the Titus Brambling ruling
| Mignolet, S | SUN | £5.5m |
| Skrtel, M | LIV | £20m |
| Vidic, N | MUN | £16m |
| Williams, A | SWA | £3.5m |
| Hughes, A | FUL | £4m |
| Hazard, E | CHE | £26m |
| Ben Arfa, H | NEW | £6.5m |
| Hoolahan, W | NOR | £2.5m |
| McCleary, G | REA | £0.5m |
| Mirallas, K | EVE | £18m |
| Defoe, J | TOT | £13m |
| Total | £115.5m |
Second transfer window – 1 February 2013
| Out | In | ||||
| Lescott, J | MCY | £12m | Skrtel, M | LIV | £20m |
First transfer window – 26 October 2012
| Out | In | ||||
| Warnock, S | AVL | £2m | Vidic, N | MUN | £16m |
| Chamakh M (B) | ARS | £16.5m | Mirallas, K | EVE | £18m |
