Manager: James N (Yorkshire)
Since: 2011
Last season: Champions
Trophy cabinet: League and cup double (last season)
Sympathies: Everton
Darts music: Big Balls – ACDC
Outlook: Ever the pantomime villain after his indiscretions ahead of the Olisadebe Euro 2012, a ripple of boos accompanied the FCT manager’s late arrival to last week’s auction. Unperturbed he went on to assemble a capable side, but how long will fans’ patience last if he fails to defend the title without a big-money signing?
No Brambles
| Ruddy, J | NOR | £1.5m |
| Debuchy, M | NEW | £0.5m |
| Davies, B | SWA | £0.5m |
| Luiz, D | CHE | £3m |
| Evans, J | MUN | £7.5m |
| Akpan, H | REA | £0.5m |
| Toure, Y | MCY | £21m |
| Pienaar, S | EVE | £12m |
| Wilshere, J | ARS | £0.5m |
| Remy, L | QPR | £35m |
| Berbatov, D | FUL | £37m |
| Total | £119m |
Second transfer window – 1 February 2013
| Out | In | ||||
| Simpson, D | NEW | £6.5m | Debuchy, M | NEW | £0.5m |
| Vertonghen, J | TOT | £13m | Davies, B | SWA | £0.5m |
| Bannan, B | AVL | £0.5m | Akpan, H | REA | £0.5m |
| Crouch, P | STO | £2m | Remy, L | QPR | £35m |
First transfer window – 26 October 2012
| Out | In | ||||
| Vidic, N | MUN | £13m | Evans, J | MUN | £7m |
| Sinclair, S | SWA | £11m | Bannan, B | AVL | £0.5m |
| Frei, K | FUL | £5.5m | Wilshere, J | ARS | £0.5m |
| Podolski, L | ARS | £11m | Berbatov, D | FUL | £37m |
