Transfer deadline day for Oxford United yesterday was a case of one in, one out – and one who seemingly was in also going out.

Arriving was left-sided midfielder Simon Hackney, who has joined on loan from Colchester United until the end of the season.

Striker Matt Green, scorer of United’s opening goal in their 3-1 play-off final win over York at Wembley last May, signed for fellow League Two side Chelten-ham on loan until this campaign finishes.

The U’s moved for Hackney because international clearance was not in the end granted for 22-year-old Jennison Myrie-Williams.

It was discovered that the winger had already played for two clubs this season and FIFA regulations stipulate that a player cannot be with three professional clubs in one season.

As well as playing for Scottish Premier League side St John-stone, Myrie-Williams had also come on for 15 minutes as a substitute for Dundee United against St Mirren in August.

Hackney, 26, will be with United’s squad for tonight’s League Two game against Southend United at Roots Hall, although he has not played for a while, so the best he can realistically hope for is a place on the bench.

Manchester-born, Hackney was with Carlisle United from 2005-2009 and made 126 appearances, scoring 17 times.

He joined Colchester two years ago, and has scored three times in 38 appearances there.

United boss Chris Wilder said: “Simon is a player who we believe will excite the fans.

“He gives us pace and natural left-footed balance, which is what we have been looking for until the end of the season.

“He has had success in this league and played a lot of his football in League One.”

The 5ft 6in Hackney also had a spell on loan at Morecambe last season.

He said: “I’m very excited by the move and can’t wait to get started.

“I’ve heard Oxford has a good fan base and I like to excite the crowd, so hopefully I can do really well here. I can’t wait to get started.”

Green leaves because first-team opportunities had become limited for him.

Wilder added: “He came to see me last week, after Steve Mac-Lean signed, and we spoke, and he said he felt he needed to go out and get some games.

“We’re under no pressure to move him on, but he expressed an interest, and that’s fair play to the boy – he wants to go and play football, and I think it will do him the world of good.”

The Football League were unable to register Myrie-Williams because of the three-club rule.

United chairman Kelvin Thomas said: “It would have been OK if the boy had been on loan at one of the clubs, but as he had signed a professional contract with both, then it has caused a problem.”

Meanwhile, Wilder does not envisage many changes at Southend against a team who beat the U’s 2-0 at the Kassam Stadium on January 1.

He said: “I’ve looked at us on Saturday, and at Northampton, when we were strong at the end of the game, and last Tuesday our energy levels were fantastic.

“We’ve got a free week next week after the game at Gillingham this Saturday. We’ll look at people this week, but I don’t think there’s a lot wrong with the team, so if we do make any changes, it will only be one or two, I think.”

The Blues, who won 2-0 at Barnet on Saturday, have won three of their last four, and drawn the other.

Southend Utd: (from) Evans, Clohessy, Barker, Coughlan, Gilbert, Ferdinand, Easton, Grant, Sturrock, Corr, Mohsni, Hall, Bentley, Sawyer, Phillips, Soares, Crawford, Comminges.

Oxford Utd: (from) Clarke, Batt, Worley, Wright, Tonkin, Hall, McLaren, Clist, MacLean, Constable, Craddock, Sangare, Heslop, Midson, Potter, Deering, Eastwood, Payne, Purkiss, Kinniburgh, Gaughan, Hackney.