Almost 18 years on from his debut as a fresh-faced 15-year-old, Scott Sinclair has sealed an emotional return to Bristol Rovers – and it is hard to see how Joey Barton can lose in this situation.
The 33-year-old has inked a short-term deal until January, although Barton hopes the former Chelsea, Manchester City and Celtic forward will stick around for a lot longer, but whatever happens, Rovers should only benefit. From every aspect, it seems like a no-brainer for the Gas; in the best-case scenario, the rewards are potentially huge, and if it doesn't work out then the cost is negligible.
The romantics and the Gasheads who thought they would never get to see one of the club's best homegrown prospects make a lasting impression in the blue and white quarters will be delighted by Sinclair's story arc, with the Bath-born forward eager to "give back" to the club that gave him a platform as a nine-year-old.
Pragmatically, it makes sense, too. Ahead of a busy winter schedule and an outside chance that star striker Aaron Collins could earn a World Cup place with Wales, Rovers' attacking resources have not only deepened but also been enhanced by a player of significant ability.
And the commercial benefits will not be insignificant. Tuesday's crowd was bigger than expected for an EFL Trophy game and the Sinclair news, even though he wasn't playing, may have elevated interest. You can be sure that demand for replica shirts sporting the No7 before Saturday's game will be high, too. Probably not enough to cover much of his wages, but every little helps, right?
Sinclair is in line to make his second debut for the Gas – after playing twice before being snapped up by Chelsea in 2005 – against League One leaders Plymouth Argyle. He has not seen competitive action since his final outing for Preston North End in April before being released by the Championship club, but the Gas are confident he can quickly make an impact at the Mem.
He had spent time at Chelsea's Cobham base keeping himself in shape before a couple of weeks of training at The Quarters, and the coaching staff have been impressed by his sharpness. For now, a 90-minute shift is beyond him but it will inspire huge confidence on Saturday when the manager takes up residence in his technical area and he sees a player of Sinclair's class sat down behind him.
The winger's new teammates will feel the same, and needless to say his arrival has excited the squad. For the likes of Collins, Ryan Loft, Josh Coburn, Sylvester Jasper and Harvey Saunders, they may have a new high-calibre player competing with them for a jersey, but they will relish the chance to learn from a player with more than 500 career appearances, 130 goals and a trophy cabinet brimming from a hugely successful spell with Celtic.
The character references are excellent, too, and he is likely to add to a squad that is already close-knit, rather than upset the balance. And with difficult games on the horizon against the league's promotion contenders in hostile atmospheres, a player who can thrive in those arenas is most welcome.
From a tactical perspective, he will likely play off the left or as part of a front two, with perhaps Collins in behind, enabling Rovers' top scorer to spend more time pulling the strings in central areas. The gelling of the attack has been a huge positive from recent weeks, with Collins, Loft, Coburn and Marquis all scoring since the six-game unbeaten run began against Exeter City.
Barton felt he was one winger and one centre-back short at the end of the transfer window. The defensive concern has been allayed by the strong performances of deadline-day signing Bobby Thomas, and Sinclair feels like the final missing piece being slotted into place.
The physically imposing pairing of Coburn and Loft has found success so far, but in some games a bit more guile will be needed and Sinclair will bring that in abundance.
Sinclair may still have designs of playing at a higher level, but even if this move goes "too well" for the Gas and a glut of goals between now and the end of his contract earns a move back to the Championship, Rovers will still have benefitted, within the confines of their budget after coming up short on some targets at the end of the transfer window, and a fitting and unexpected – albeit brief – second chapter to Sinclair's story with the Gas will have been written.
Of course, ideally, the Gas will want this arrangement to be longer-lasting and it remains to be seen how things will play out over the coming weeks. Maybe a few months out of the game after a season spent mainly out of the starting XI has taken its toll.
But the smart money is on Sinclair making a big impact at the Mem, and regardless of how this pans out, the stakes are low for Rovers. An area of existing strength has been upgraded by a player with an unquestionable CV through the eyes of a League One club.
The degree of success will be discovered in time, but the moment he is reintroduced to the Mem as a Rovers player is sure to be a memorable one.
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