The figure at the centre of it all was Neil Doncaster, whose diary of the last few days will be published in tomorrow's Eastern Daily Press and is currently available on the club's website.
Doncaster writes about the detailed negotiations which he and Nigel Worthington had hoped would result in inter-dependent transfers of McKenzie away from Carrow Road and Welsh international David Cotterill arriving from Bristol City.
With deals agreed for both and McKenzie's position at Norwich having become 'untenable', however, Wigan Athletic managed to convince Cotterill that the wealth and glamour of the Premiership was the way to go. City, Doncaster and Worthington were left in the lurch as McKenzie's move to Coventry City was confirmed.
A final twist comes with the late news that Wigan have also added in-form Portsmouth striker Svetoslav Todorov to their ranks. Cotterill must fancy his chances of being selected ahead of the Bulgarian, as well as fellow internationals Henri Camara and Emile Heskey.