WORD did not filter through to him about a loan deal until shortly after noon on Thursday.
But for Alan Hutton, a chance to get back to roughing up opposition wingers was too good to turn down when Nottingham Forest came asking about his availability.
Five hours later, he had penned a short loan deal into the new year that will see him available for nine matches.
After not tasting a minute of domestic action this season – his five appearances have all been for Scotland – he is relishing his chance against Wolves at Molineux this afternoon.
The 27-year-old is likely to come in at right-back in place of Brendan Moloney and will add even more experience to the back four.
And there are a couple of familiar faces to help him settle into the Reds dressing room straight away.
Andy Reid is a man he played alongside during a loan spell with Sunderland in 2010 and he is close to Jermaine Jenas, after years together with Spurs at White Hart Lane and then at Aston Villa.
Being on the sidelines is not something that sits well with Hutton, who made the move from Rangers to Tottenham for £9million back in 2008.
Since then he has gone north to Aston Villa but in May, Hutton faced injury problems, having to go under the knife after suffering ruptured ankle ligaments.
His boss at Villa Park, Paul Lambert, made it clear as long back ago as September the full-back was free to go out on loan and was not in his plans.
It took until the day of the loan deadline but although it has meant dropping into the Championship for the first time in his career to get first-team action, the Scot is undeterred.
In fact, he is itching for the clock to strike 3pm today in order to help Forest build on last weekend's 1-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday – and in doing so put himself back on the radar.
A trip to Ipswich follows for Forest on Tuesday night and then they are back in home action against Hull next Saturday.
The more games, the better for Hutton as he looks to show Lambert that he was wrong to overlook his robust talent.
And, by the time his loan expires at the start of January, Hutton hopes to leave the City Ground with the club in the promotion shake-up.
After all, he is a player noted for his defensive steel but also a talent to get forward and attack the right flank.
Forest fans will hope those qualities will be on show in the West Midlands today.
And Hutton said: "I heard about this deal at about 12 (on Thursday) and I was happy about it and decided to go for it.
"It is lovely here and my first impressions of the set-up are very good.
"I am sure over the next few days or so I will speak more with the manager but I cannot wait to get going.
"I know Jermaine Jenas well from Tottenham and then Villa and I had a conversation with him and I was really happy with what he said and that helped with me coming here."
It is just two years ago since Hutton was starring for Spurs in the Champions League under Harry Redknapp, against the likes of Italian giants Inter Milan and Germany's Werder Bremen.
Hutton insists he is still the same player as back then; it is just other factors that have seen him out of the picture after a move to Villa.
"I think I am the same player (as two years ago) but through different circumstances I have not been playing at Villa.
"It is one of those things when a new manager comes in. He wants to change things around so this is a good opportunity for me to come and play games.
"The way they play (the system at Forest) helps me to get forward and their style of play suits my game so I was really pleased to come."
As for extending his deal beyond January 2, Hutton is careful in his answer. But he is adamant this is a deal that should suit both parties.
"Football is a funny game and I want to come here to what I see as a big club that is looking to push forward and do well. Hopefully we can both help each other."
