Burton Albion waited until the death to complete their transfer deadline day business, with the signing of Jamie Allen from Rochdale on an undisclosed fee the last of three deals to be made on Thursday night.

The Brewers waited until later on in the evening to start confirming deals, beginning with the signing of John Brayford on a two-year-deal at just after 8pm after his departure from Sheffield United earlier in the evening after his contract was mutually terminated.

The return of Will Miller from Tottenham Hotspur followed, again on a two-year deal with the Brewers' transfer deadline day culminating with an 11:45pm announcement that Allen would follow former Rochdale team-mate Matty Lund in swapping Spotland for the Pirelli Stadium - penning a three-year contract in the process.

There were departures, too - and perhaps the most surprising of them all was the news that Albion captain John Mousinho was departing for Oxford United after three years with the Brewers - a stalwart of the rise through the leagues from League Two to the Championship in that time.

Mousinho (centre) was a shock departure on Thursday night
Mousinho (centre) was a shock departure on Thursday night

Damien McCrory left for Portsmouth on loan until January, with the return of Brayford adding to the competition for places at full-back - something Albion boss Nigel Clough admitted when the move was confirmed.

Albion fans will know all about Brayford's qualities, with this now his third spell at the club where he started his career - and that is evident with the reaction to his signing on social media platforms on Thursday evening.

Miller, too, is no stranger to Albion - having made 16 appearances during his season on loan from Spurs - bagging a crucial last-minute equaliser against Wolverhampton Wanderers in September in a 1-1 draw at Molineux.

But it is the signing of Allen - Albion’s 12th of the summer, and fourth central midfielder - that will get Brewers fans wondering what he can bring to the table in another season where the club will once again be battling relegation.

Like Lund, it is Allen's first taste of second-tier football, and in signing a three-year-deal, the Brewers and Nigel Clough certainly think, and hope, he can have a similar impact to that of Jackson Irvine.

The parallels are there, with Allen being relatively unheard of, signing for a small fee in today's terms - and yet to ply his trade in English football's second-tier.

And there is no introduction quite like a trip to Elland Road - with Allen set to face Leeds United in the Brewers' next game on Saturday week. Welcome to the Championship indeed.

But what we do know is that the 22-year-old has made over 100 league appearances, helping Rochdale to League One promotion with Lund - and the Brewers will be hoping that double act comes to fruition once again.

Unusually for a player so young, Allen leaves Dale as captain, having been appointed as a 20-year-old two years ago - with manager Keith Hill commenting at the time that it had "showed how far Jamie had come" in his development.

But it was testament to his career at Spotland, with over 150 Dale appearances under his belt, that he was awarded the armband.

Dale actually valued him that highly that manager Keith Hill revealed that the club had knocked back several bids from Burton over the summer for the midfielder.

But now, it seems that after having lost an important cog in the Brewers' machine in Irvine, Albion have now softened that blow - and in traditionally dramatic style.