Best / Worst Loan Signings ever

[Tom]

Didn't help that souness played him up front

[bluebruce]

He could barely run properly due to his tiny legs, looked like he was running uphill into a gale all of the time.

Yes, he looked like Mario when he ran, but he wasn't actually slow exactly, and his skill etc was worth persevering with IMO. Though, I appreciate you were probably just turning my phrase "a proper run".

[Mafioso]

Does loaning a motor bike to a certain player of ours count ? (i know, just thought i'd mention it)

[farhanology]

Jay Simpson. drossss

[Ozz]

Youri Djorkayeff had three pretty good games for us back in 2004. Really liked him.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Worst loan signing for me was Russell Beardsmore from Man Ure. He was one of Dalglish's first signings. Although Jason Beckford comes close.

[Ray-Von]

I would agree with the Mark Grew comments - the fans certainly warmed to him, and there was something of a campaign to sign him full time, but Mackay went for the younger option in Bobby Mimms. Quite senisble in the pre-Walker days.

Jim Beglin had a couple of useful games on loan in 1990 - I recall he played at Wolves when we won 3-2 thanks to a Stapleton hat trick.

Can't agree on Eyal Berkovic being one of the worst signings - he was outstanding in two games in particular in his loan spell (Grimsby away and Portsmouth home.)

The worst? Jason Beckford, Kaba Diawara, Phil Starbuck and a chunky winger from Plymouth called David Byrne. I think the Talking Heads lead singer would have been more useful.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I would agree with the Mark Grew comments - the fans certainly warmed to him, and there was something of a campaign to sign him full time, but Mackay went for the younger option in Bobby Mimms. Quite senisble in the pre-Walker days.

Jim Beglin had a couple of useful games on loan in 1990 - I recall he played at Wolves when we won 3-2 thanks to a Stapleton hat trick.

Can't agree on Eyal Berkovic being one of the worst signings - he was outstanding in two games in particular in his loan spell (Grimsby away and Portsmouth home.)

The worst? Jason Beckford, Kaba Diawara, Phil Starbuck and a chunky winger from Plymouth called David Byrne. I think the Talking Heads lead singer would have been more useful.

I thought Jack Walker provided the funds to sign Bobby Mimms ? Berkovic was a class act , just the sort of player we could do with now.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I thought Jack Walker provided the funds to sign Bobby Mimms ? Berkovic was a class act , just the sort of player we could do with now.

I think he was signed just before Jack took over but I think talks were well advanced. I seem to recall the first 2 players signed with Jack's money were Dobson and Livingstone.

I would agree with the Mark Grew comments - the fans certainly warmed to him, and there was something of a campaign to sign him full time, but Mackay went for the younger option in Bobby Mimms. Quite senisble in the pre-Walker days.

Jim Beglin had a couple of useful games on loan in 1990 - I recall he played at Wolves when we won 3-2 thanks to a Stapleton hat trick.

Can't agree on Eyal Berkovic being one of the worst signings - he was outstanding in two games in particular in his loan spell (Grimsby away and Portsmouth home.)

The worst? Jason Beckford, Kaba Diawara, Phil Starbuck and a chunky winger from Plymouth called David Byrne. I think the Talking Heads lead singer would have been more useful.

Byrne came from Millwall didn't he? Did he not leave Rovers in the middle of his loan to sign for Plymouth?

[philipl]

David Gregory was a cracking loan signing but we couldn't afford to buy him.

Berner was a permanent signing wasn't he? Certainly got rover6 into permanent moan mood!

[Ray-Von]

I think he was signed just before Jack took over but I think talks were well advanced. I seem to recall the first 2 players signed with Jack's money were Dobson and Livingstone.

Byrne came from Millwall didn't he? Did he not leave Rovers in the middle of his loan to sign for Plymouth?

Quite right, just checked. Now head of youth development at Swindon Town!

[SamTheShrew]

Berner was a nominal fee, Djorkaeff was a short team contract, as were Fowler and Baggio.

To be honest I can't really remember that many loans coming in to the club.

What was Marc Keller, a short term as well?

[philipl]

Jeffers was a loanee

And rubbish

[Amo]

Anyone mention Pongolle? Didn't really hit it off here, but I thought he could have been a good investment.

[deryck guyler's spoon]

Bernie Gallagher. Not the golfer, the very ginger left back from Villa who had a loan spell with us around the same time as Mark Grew. I actually thought he wasn't too bad.

[SamTheShrew]

Jeffers wasn't a loanee, he was on a performance based contract.

We loaned him to people.

[Tom]

Yes, he looked like Mario when he ran, but he wasn't actually slow exactly, and his skill etc was worth persevering with IMO. Though, I appreciate you were probably just turning my phrase "a proper run".

One thing about him was he had something that Hoilett has now, you have a feeling that they could create something when on the ball.

His introduction from the bench would excite fans.

[Amo]

Villanueva was also an incredible set-piece taker.

[CrazyIvan]

Best signing has to be Alan Shearer.

Worst signing? Grella has to be up there based on cost and fitness record. Martin Dahlin probably in the top few of that list too, more for costing a lot and getting seriously injured... Not his fault though.

Best loanee we missed out signing is Berkovic. He was superb. Celtic obviously didn't want to sell him to us, £5 million wasn't it? His replacement was a bit special though...

[B.R.F.C]

Berkovic and Bentley for the best loanees I reckon

Worst by a mile was Danny Simpson. I remember a game he played against West Brom at the Hawthorns...he didn't put one tackle in the whole half and was outpaced again and again by Roman Bednar. He got taken off at half time as I recall and to be brutally honest a bollard would have done a better job.

[darwenblueswearehere]

Best for me was Steve Archibald. Head and shoulders better than anything else we had at the club at the time. Worst? Not sure if he was a loanee but Paul McKinnon deserves a mention. A big strapping centre forward signed from non league football. Unless my memory is playing tricks on me he actually left with a minus goal total, having scored 1 own goal during his brief time at Ewood...

[bazza]

I thought Yordi was OK.

For those older fans Terry Shanahan was a reasonable loanee. I had forgotten about the utter rubbish that was Phil Starbuck.

Does loaning a motor bike to a certain player of ours count ? (i know, just thought i'd mention it)

That has to be the very worst loan to adversely affect our club.

[Andy]

Jeffers was a loanee

And rubbish

No, he wasn't.

On the first point that is - can't dispute the second.

Yordi actually did alright for us and even banged in a couple of goals in his short stay.

Berkovic, as has been said, played a big part in the promotion run-in and most of us were pretty gutted when we didn't sign him in the summer.

Didn't think Dario Marcolin was all that bad to be fair, he was an alright midfielder and we've certainly had worse.

Got to agree with Danny Simpson as one of the worst we've had in recent times.

[Commondore]

Yordi rocked up and got a League Cup winners medal for his efforts! alright for some.

Dario Marcolin ranks up there as the worst for me.

Martin Andresen.

But the worst by far...KABA DIAWARA

Andresen worked quite well if I remember correctly, he shored up the midfield defensively along with Douglas and Flitcroft when we were in dire form 03-04.

[FourLaneBlue]

Youri Djorkayeff had three pretty good games for us back in 2004. Really liked him.

He was a free transfer and not a loan signing, IIRC?

Anyway, Steve Archibald was by far the best. Put about 8,000 on the gate overnight.

Ardiles was the other big name but Nicky Marker crocked him before he could play at Ewood.

Why are people saying Yordi was crap? He simply wasn't. Scored some goals, set up some others, no world-beater but was one of the reasons our relegation battle turned into a (just) top-half finish...

Berner was a nominal fee

I don't think he was. 1 and half million, wasn't he?