Signings that excited you but turned out poor

Okay, so a new discussion. What signings excited you? which ones had you rubbing your hands together with joy, but ultimatley ended in disappointment..and by that I mean they turned out to be utter garbage.

I'll start the ball rolling with a couple..


Alan Neilson - ex Newcastle, Southampton, Fulham and Wales defender, played a lot Premier League games and when we signed him I thought he would be a decent buy. Came, scored an own goal..was generally poor and ended up released a few months later.

Tommy Wright - A lot of good stories floated around by Darlo fans where he had been banging them in before going up to Aberdeen. I honestly thought stepping back down to this level he would hammer it.

For some strange reason Martin Butler, Juniour Mendes, JPK Second time round, Conlon when he signed on a permanent!

Many from the Newell era

Also Futch jnr, Fostervold, Davison mk2, Rankine mk2,

damian spencer - huge guy, but didnt happen..

Louie Soares - came with pedigree and a goalscoring record, just hasn't clicked in the team when selected !

Honestly thought he would be a revelation in midfield - shame !

Martin Butler - as near to a journeyman cheat as ever there was !

Lee Ashcroft

Quoted from Doctor Sanchez

Lee Ashcroft

WHS, expensive, inured start to his town career and never really lit the place on fire

Marcel Cas, dutch winger who played for a couple of Eredivisie clubs joining a league 1 team, should be a great signing...

I thought Anthony Church would be great and was very briefly impressed when we signed Ben Futcher.

Mike Newell if that counts.

Lee Ashcroft as he cost us 500k and didn't live up to that fee, I know he didn't set the fee but 500k is a lot of money for GTFC to pay for a player.

Ben Futcher wasn't his father. He had no chance to be fair. He was never going to live up to his father who I worship like a God - in fact if I wasn't so lazy I would stalk the man.

Ademeno - he sounded awesome! Big powerful and fast. He let us down massively!

I was also excited when Newell was installed as manager! Well, we all know how that one turned out!

Barry Conlon!

After his loan spell here I thought he'd be a great permanent signing. Turned out just to be a drunk up loser.

I expected more from Nick colgan, can anybody name a starting 11

Laurens Ten Heuvel ex Ajax youth, Premiership appearances etc. He was just rubbish.

Akpa-Akpro. . . Sounded exotic, he scored a belter that was on youtube, seemed to promiae so much but never quite made it here... I wonder how he would have faired in a confident team under scott and hurst.

Neil Webb...ex Man United, Forest and England

John Thorrington...was overly excited when we signed him, I remember him being Huddersfield's key man the year before we got him, he must have played 3 or 4 games and was released.

Paul Robinson..ex Newcastle and Wimbledon, simply woeful.

Dare I say it yet..maybe its a little bit harsh as he hasn't had a chance yet but when we signed Simon Ford in the summer I was majorly impressed, and its now February and he hasn't kicked a ball since pre-season and its not as if he's been injured.

Mickael Buscher..had played for France at U16, U17 and U18 level..was released after not even making the bench.

I remember back in the mid-80's we signed a chap called Brian Rice on loan from Forest. Had decent credentials and had played under Cloughy for a number of years. I think he only played about 3 or 4 games before he went back. He was very, very average.

John Lukic jnr - The son of ex Arsenal and Leeds keeper of the same name, came to us from Forest where he had earned a few rave reviews, came to Town sat on the bench for three quarters of the season before being released..and seemingly vanishing. I don't even think he played anywhere else at even semi-pro level

Quoted from shotandcursed

Akpa-Akpro. . . Sounded exotic, he scored a belter that was on youtube, seemed to promiae so much but never quite made it here... I wonder how he would have faired in a confident team under scott and hurst.

Would never call him poor and has pretty much proved that since leaving. Currently scoring goals for a club that's top of league 1.And don't forget he canned us, not the other way round. With better management he would have been much more effective for Town.

Quoted from paddymariners

Would never call him poor and has pretty much proved that since leaving. Currently scoring goals for a club that's top of league 1.And don't forget he canned us, not the other way round. With better management he would have been much more effective for Town.

He was awful for the majority of the time he was at the club. Truly terrible then there was a transformation, just as his contract was about to expire. Make of that what you will.

Lewis Gobern - was talked up to be a winger to 'excite' the fans!

JLAA was always a brilliant player, he was playing in a urine poor side that only tried when they was in the final months of relegation.. The runs he used to go on was brilliant just his finishing wasn't up to scratch.

Quoted from GtfcGarner

JLAA was always a brilliant player, he was playing in a urine poor side that only tried when they was in the final months of relegation.. The runs he used to go on was brilliant just his finishing wasn't up to scratch.

That has to be the funniest thing I've read on here for ages.  

Quoted from chiumento

Lewis Gobern - was talked up to be a winger to 'excite' the fans!

Scrapping with Lee Ridley and bringing a knife to training were quite exciting.

Halsall.  Was promised by lyons he was gonna be our captain  for years. Paul emson - a matchstick who could run like the wind but was screwed if full back kept up with him. Neil webb was a fat useless blob that hardly moved lol. Tomm Widdrington scored a cracking goal on debut and thats as good as it got.

Quoted from chiumento

Lewis Gobern - was talked up to be a winger to 'excite' the fans!

Good call. Absolute waste of space.

Conlon and the other loanee from the exact same period...... skillfull midfield player who's name I forget? Peter something???  

Help me someone, I'm having a senior moment!!!!

Quoted from Les Brechin

That has to be the funniest thing I've read on here for ages.  

Quoted from RonMariner

Conlon and the other loanee from the exact same period...... skillfull midfield player who's name I forget? Peter something???  

Help me someone, I'm having a senior moment!!!!

Sweeney. Technically one of the best players we've had over the last decade but no heart.

Quoted from 75

Sweeney. Technically one of the best players we've had over the last decade but no heart.

Cheers!

Yes, I was excited when he signed, and was full of optimism.  Felt like a right mug afterwards.

Scott McGarvey

Darren Barnard. Ex Chelsea and Bristol City left winger/left back, and had a few great years at Barnsley where he played in the Premiership, had scored a fair few beauties in his time as well. Looked like a great signing especially when he scored that goal against Derby from about 40 yards on his debut. Joined town in the Championship, left 2 years later with the club relegated to the 4th tier. Says it all really.

Jimmy Gilligan

And to think we paid out more or less the same amount to bring him in as we received from Norwich for Kev Drinkell who he replaced  

Steve Chettle..another name to the long list of has beens

I also expected more from chris lewellyn

Quoted from Gainsbro_Mariner

Okay, so a new discussion. What signings excited you? which ones had you rubbing your hands together with joy, but ultimatley ended in disappointment..and by that I mean they turned out to be utter garbage.

When the registrar said sign here.

Recent times Louie Soares- Talked up on here by most like he's a world beater and turned out to be sh1t.
Past times Jimmy Gilligan- Watford must have laughed there heads off when Town gave em the 100k  

Tommy forecast

Quoted from jaygy

Tommy forecast

In what way did Forecast excite you?

He is far the worst goalkeeper ever to turn Pro though.

Quoted from jimgtfc

Darren Barnard. Ex Chelsea and Bristol City left winger/left back, and had a few great years at Barnsley where he played in the Premiership, had scored a fair few beauties in his time as well. Looked like a great signing especially when he scored that goal against Derby from about 40 yards on his debut. Joined town in the Championship, left 2 years later with the club relegated to the 4th tier. Says it all really.

He was decent enough but he was 32 and on his way down when we signed him.

Quoted from TAGG

In what way did Forecast excite you?

He is far the worst goalkeeper ever to turn Pro though.

Because he was being touted as a future england gk. But he was crap!!!!

Paul Warhurst. In his career he was called up for England, was bought for millions and won the Prem title with Blackburn.

A quick search revealed that in his final 4 seasons, he played for 10 different clubs including Forest Green and us unfortunately.

Quoted from ginnywings

Paul Warhurst. In his career he was called up for England, was bought for millions and won the Prem title with Blackburn.

A quick search revealed that in his final 4 seasons, he played for 10 different clubs including Forest Green and us unfortunately.

I must admit I do get a little bit of excitement when we sign a veteran ex Premier League player, you never expect too much but its sometimes handy to have, and nice to see players such as that playing for us for a short while.

Dean Gordon was another, I didn't think he did all that badly though to be fair.

mike jeffery.

Quoted from carp catcher

mike jeffery.

Can't say I was over impressed when we signed him to be fair, how many goals did he score? 2 in 2 years ?

Steve Chettle
Lee Ashcroft - 500K
Tommy Widdrington  - 300K (May as well of played with 10 men all season)
Michael Jeffrey
Des Hamilton
Chris Lewellyn
Danny Boshell
Tony Crane
Matthew Heywood
Greg Pearson (Although to be fair, don't think he's had enough chance like Andy Cook has been given.)

JLAA was effing terrible. he had physical attributes only.

Quoted from DubaiMariner

JLAA was effing terrible. he had physical attributes only.

Disagree, decent player at the lg1/2 level, lets face it he realised he had signed for  a rubbish team with fans that moan at the slightest error, no wonder he didn't pull up any trees while he was with us but managing a very good career at lower league level. Think how many players we signed that were good when they arrived and then were coached into crapness by our managers before S & H arrived

Ray Lancaster was supposed to be good but the sea air effected him was the excuse ,

Alick Jeffery was a wonder boy while at Donny, broke his leg 3 times so by the time he came to us on loan or trial he was poor,

Quoted from grimsby pete

Ray Lancaster was supposed to be good but the sea air effected him was the excuse ,

Alick Jeffery was a wonder boy while at Donny, broke his leg 3 times so by the time he came to us on loan or trial he was poor,

I never knew Alick Jeffery was with us Pete

My uncle used to go to the same school as him near Donny and as you say he was their glory boy - still held in high regard I think as they've got his statue outside the Keepmoat

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Jimmy Gilligan

And to think we paid out more or less the same amount to bring him in as we received from Norwich for Kev Drinkell who he replaced  

THIS:

Quoted from arryarryarry

When the registrar said sign here.

Michael Leary........seriously........there was the article that said he used to watch Town as a lad and this was something of a homecoming for him.....touted as a tough tackling enforcer in the middle got me all Alan Pouton.........such thoughts ended within 10 minutes of seeing him in action at some obscure place in pre season....on the doomed Errea Devon tour possibly against a Belgium league team made up of yank scholarship players......

I am going to be controversial here but I have a sneaking feeling that Ross Hannah might end up on this list.  Its a while since fans have clamoured so strongly for a player to be signed and I fear he may not live up to expectations.

Should there be a thread for signings that didn't look that interesting initially but turned out great.....?  Obviously a central defender signed from Halifax reserves comes top of the list.

Quoted from LondonMariner43

I am going to be controversial here but I have a sneaking feeling that Ross Hannah might end up on this list.  Its a while since fans have clamoured so strongly for a player to be signed and I fear he may not live up to expectations.

Should there be a thread for signings that didn't look that interesting initially but turned out great.....?  Obviously a central defender signed from Halifax reserves comes top of the list.

Pre-internet bullshit. . . Better times.. . Sir Paul of Futchester, legend is an over used word but. . . . !

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I never knew Alick Jeffery was with us Pete

My uncle used to go to the same school as him near Donny and as you say he was their glory boy - still held in high regard I think as they've got his statue outside the Keepmoat

Alick Jefrery never played for G.T.F.C. played against him myself exceptional footballer.
NEWFOOTBALLER

Des Hamilton was the guy who cost Celtic one million pounds and was the biggest failure of all

Saw alec jeffrey play against town for lincoln in late 60's think he scored and they won. It was the era when we were really bad just before bobby kennedy. I am sure older fans will remember when we had tallest and shortest players in football league, dave boylen and gordon walker. Honestly big gordon made elding look like shearer. We had some poor players duncliffe at full back, who came with hickman fron brighton was poor and jimmy bloomer was another poor full back til worthington started playing there.

Saw alec jeffrey play against town for lincoln in late 60's think he scored and they won. It was the era when we were really bad just before bobby kennedy. I am sure older fans will remember when we had tallest and shortest players in football league, dave boylen and gordon walker. Honestly big gordon made elding look like shearer. We had some poor players duncliffe at full back, who came with hickman fron brighton was poor and jimmy bloomer was another poor full back til worthington started playing there.

Quoted from moosey_club

Michael Leary........seriously........there was the article that said he used to watch Town as a lad and this was something of a homecoming for him.....touted as a tough tackling enforcer in the middle got me all Alan Pouton.........

You obviously ignore his release by Barnet then?  

Stuart Campbell, people might not agree with this one as he went on to play a lot of games, club captain and many appearances for Bristol rovers. But I remember thinking he was quality on loan, he'd made a decent amount of appearances for Leicester in the premiership and o'neil had rated him. Then once we signed him, he seemed to have little affect on the matches and as the team got worse he seemed to the same little affect.

Akpro was a good player. He had immense power with the ball glued to his feet. Same mold as Serge Makofo, just miles better. If he had the goals in his locker he'd be playing at a higher level, as he'd been proving with Tranmere before his injury.

Plenty of loanee strikers in recent years with good records who flattered to deceive; Wes Fletcher, Josh Magennis, Danny Carlton.

Isaiah Rankin (2nd time)
Gary Harkins

Murry Jones got him from Exeter after we beat them 2-1 for promotion he was rank

Quoted from Abdul19

Isaiah Rankin (2nd time)
Gary Harkins

Oh, I thought there was only one for me but you've just reminded me of Isaiah Rankin.

The other one was Ashley Sestanovich.  

(Actually, I still don't think he turned out poor - just a wrong 'un.  Either way, I was gutted.)

Quoted from Garth

Des Hamilton was the guy who cost Celtic one million pounds and was the biggest failure of all

Eh? Des Hamilton never played for Celtic!

He did cost Newcastle £2m though when they signed him from Bradford.

The mentioned I have to agree with :

Murray jones
Mike newell

Butler

JLAA is the equivalent to marmite, you hated him or loved him, for me, i loved him, he must of been defenders worst nightmare ! okay his finishing wasnt the best, but overall he would get into this team now....

I liked Akpro, he was just playing in a terrible team! He's not exactly doing bad now.

Quoted from grimsbydan

Stuart Campbell, people might not agree with this one as he went on to play a lot of games, club captain and many appearances for Bristol rovers. But I remember thinking he was quality on loan, he'd made a decent amount of appearances for Leicester in the premiership and o'neil had rated him. Then once we signed him, he seemed to have little affect on the matches and as the team got worse he seemed to the same little affect.

I used to live in Northamptonshire and a few of my workmates used to follow Leicester

When Town signed him they all said what a mistake it was him not getting regular football at their club and how they'd rue the day as Campbell was a real prospect...pity it never really happened for him and you're right as our team performances deteriorated so did his

On another note I got talking to a woman one night while I was out where we lived and noting I wasn't a local Northants bloke, she said to me where was I from initially.

Grimsby I told her and she said, Oh my son's just got a job up there....anyway cutting through the chit chat, it turned out that Stuart Campbell was her son! Small world eh?

Jimmy gilligan  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Gilligan

Spent a whole season thinking ..... This will be the week when jimmy shines.....

Going back a fair bit Tommy Widdrington.
Not sure if he was a record signing but was certainly a record flop.

I was rather excited when I first saw Marcel Cas play but he disappointed.

I thought Spencer was the big unit we needed up front last season to hold up play too.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I used to live in Northamptonshire and a few of my workmates used to follow Leicester

When Town signed him they all said what a mistake it was him not getting regular football at their club and how they'd rue the day as Campbell was a real prospect...pity it never really happened for him and you're right as our team performances deteriorated so did his

On another note I got talking to a woman one night while I was out where we lived and noting I wasn't a local Northants bloke, she said to me where was I from initially.

Grimsby I told her and she said, Oh my son's just got a job up there....anyway cutting through the chit chat, it turned out that Stuart Campbell was her son! Small world eh?

Didn't Stuart Campbell get an international call up (for Scotland?) either whilst here or at Bristol Rovers.

Didn't Gilligan score the equaliser away to Wolves in the first replay in the league cup? I seem to remember everybody moaning about him all the way there on the coach and then praising him all the way home (probably the only time!).

Quoted from PrestwichMariner

Didn't Gilligan score the equaliser away to Wolves in the first replay in the league cup? I seem to remember everybody moaning about him all the way there on the coach and then praising him all the way home (probably the only time!).

I thought it was Gary Liddell. That game was in 1979 I don't think Gilligan signed until the mid 80's.

Dwayne Samuels

I have to admit I was excited by Adam Proudlock. Thought he'd score loads. Oh well - cheesy chips anyone??

Remember Mark Nicholls? Came on a months loan from Chelsea, must be well over 10 years ago. He'd played in their first team a couple of times, I was well excited when we got him. He was shite.

Peter fcuking Beagrie - sCUNThorpe loving tw@t!

God he makes my blood boil when he's on Sky Sports.

Quoted from Les Brechin

I thought it was Gary Liddell. That game was in 1979 I don't think Gilligan signed until the mid 80's.

You're right Les it was Gary Liddell

And no doubt fans probably were moaning about him on the way to the Wolves game Prestwich...to be fair to Liddell he was a tryer but not up to standard compared to the other forwards we had at the time that got us promoted later that season

All I can deduce from this thread is that some people are easily excitable. Gary Harkins? Exciting?

Or have people just failed to read the thread subject and posted lists of players they didn't/don't like?

That's rhetorical by the way.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Jimmy Gilligan

And to think we paid out more or less the same amount to bring him in as we received from Norwich for Kev Drinkell who he replaced  

This one for me.

I had seen Gilligan play for Watford in European competition and he was  a beast. Led the line, dominated in the air and when he signed i was suprised that we had managed to get such a player.

He was more than a dissapointment he was an unmitgated disaster. Shocking. Couldnt control the ball, lazy and simply useless

Quoted from BIGChris

This one for me.

I had seen Gilligan play for Watford in European competition and he was  a beast. Led the line, dominated in the air and when he signed i was suprised that we had managed to get such a player.

He was more than a dissapointment he was an unmitgated disaster. Shocking. Couldnt control the ball, lazy and simply useless

He did really well at Cardiff and Swansea too after he left us. Seems that it was only for us that he was bloody useless.

Quoted from newfootballer

Alick Jefrery never played for G.T.F.C. played against him myself exceptional footballer.
NEWFOOTBALLER

I trust your memory more than mine Dave,

He must have played against us then,

BUT

I was not impressed, it was a pity because if it was not for his injuries, he would have been one of the best.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I never knew Alick Jeffery was with us Pete

My uncle used to go to the same school as him near Donny and as you say he was their glory boy - still held in high regard I think as they've got his statue outside the Keepmoat

Sorry memory playing tricks with me

See post above.

Quoted from Wrawby_Mariner

Mike Newell if that counts.

Ditto

Quoted from grimsby pete

Sorry memory playing tricks with me

See post above.

You're excused on the grounds that...oh I forget!  

Ashcroft was a good penalty taker if I remember rightly. Did he ever miss?
To look at him, he never seemed fit. I never had any confidence in him scoring for us. He did bag 13 in 40 in his second season which was decent.
His record throughout his career was pretty poor. Why did Buckley sign him? Or was we desperate and struggling to sign somebody decent at the time.

Mark Nicholls played 30 games for Chelsea. I remember thinking we were lucky to sign him...

Quoted from nightrider

Ashcroft was a good penalty taker if I remember rightly. Did he ever miss?
To look at him, he never seemed fit. I never had any confidence in him scoring for us. He did bag 13 in 40 in his second season which was decent.
His record throughout his career was pretty poor. Why did Buckley sign him? Or was we desperate and struggling to sign somebody decent at the time.

He'd worked with him at WBA so he must have seen something in him to shell out such a fee. He also didn't have a bad record at Preston. I think we sold him to Wigan for about £300k so Buckley wasnt the only manager who rated him.

Im going off Wikipedia so could be wrong but 32 in 148 isnt the sort of form i'd break our transfer record for
Those were probably scored in division 3 too