Worst Rovers signing ever?

[Atko's Engine]

Matt Dickins anyone? Signed as cover for Bobby Mimms, played just 1 game for us though (v Wolves I think) and let a long range speculative shot from distance flap through his limp wrists and drop over the line near the end of the match. Think it cost us a draw iirc.

[bluebruce]

  On 07/08/2020 at 23:33, Atko's Engine said:

Matt Dickins anyone? Signed as cover for Bobby Mimms, played just 1 game for us though (v Wolves I think) and let a long range speculative shot from distance flap through his limp wrists and drop over the line near the end of the match. Think it cost us a draw iirc.

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Well at least he only played and threw away one game. Alan Fettis on the other hand....

[bigbrandjohn]

  On 07/08/2020 at 18:48, JacknOry said:

You forgot Bradley Orr

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Humble apologies. 

[bigbrandjohn]

No honourable mentions for Matty Holmes or Keith Andrews?

[SamTheShrew]

For relative size of money to era, Kevin Davies. He only scored twice, both against Sasa Illic of Charlton who fumbled them both. Although I think Woy has some blame here. Always remember Dave Jones at Soton saying he rejected 3 million, but would have accepted 3.5. Woy‘s next bid was 7.25million ?‍♂️ Frivolous with Jack’s cash for sure.

Personally, I always hated Ashley Ward. He was just crap. That 1 on 1 in the United game of 99 where we needed to win to stay up, and he chipped crapply wide. I cried my eyes out that night at Ewood watching Jack do the same. Thanks Ashley

[MarkBRFC]

  On 07/08/2020 at 15:08, tomphil said:

If we cast our minds back Kean didn't want Rhodes him and his little crew were trying to get another SEM guy through the door. Forget his name now but he certainly wasn't a patch on Rhodes.

Good old Shebby got that over the line with the help of Preston Derek who was well in with Hudds chairman. 

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Correct.

Kean wanted Simon Cox instead.

[Oldgregg86]

All of the above and you can throw in koita, petshi, delfonso, Steele, ward, Sam hart, Jeffers, Fowler, Guthrie , tunnicliffe, Marrow, Samuelson, Harper , slew and I’m going to be on my own with this but Cory evans.

anthony stokes has to be in there also. Had ability didn’t use any of it. Also just remembered Tony watt watt watt. Shouldn’t be on this list just made chuckle thinking about the game away at Oxford

Edited August 8, 2020 by Oldgregg86

[K-Hod]

  On 08/08/2020 at 05:59, SamTheLeedsRover said:

For relative size of money to era, Kevin Davies. He only scored twice, both against Sasa Illic of Charlton who fumbled them both. Although I think Woy has some blame here. Always remember Dave Jones at Soton saying he rejected 3 million, but would have accepted 3.5. Woy‘s next bid was 7.25million ?‍♂️ Frivolous with Jack’s cash for sure.

Personally, I always hated Ashley Ward. He was just crap. That 1 on 1 in the United game of 99 where we needed to win to stay up, and he chipped crapply wide. I cried my eyes out that night at Ewood watching Jack do the same. Thanks Ashley

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 A girl I was seeing was watching The Real Housewives of Cheshire. The size of his gaff is absolutely sickening for how shite he was at football....

[Oldgregg86]

  On 07/08/2020 at 18:47, JacknOry said:

Recall reading that - he texted someone to sign Rhodes or something. Or was it he texted the manager to tell him which subs to bring on?

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 Both

[SamTheShrew]

  On 08/08/2020 at 06:45, K-Hod said:

 A girl I was seeing was watching The Real Housewives of Cheshire. The size of his gaff is absolutely sickening for how shite he was at football....

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Quite the businessman I believe. Wish he had stuck to that instead

[Amo]

  On 07/08/2020 at 07:49, AllRoverAsia said:

The mobster's son. It was the lowest depth, at least the other charlatans had been footballers at least to some extent. 

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Nepotism has always been rife in football.

I doubt we signed Paul Dalglish or Julio Santa Cruz for football reasons.

[Atko's Engine]

  On 08/08/2020 at 00:41, bluebruce said:

Well at least he only played and threw away one game. Alan Fettis on the other hand....

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I looked him up on wiki, it looks like he only played 63 games in his whole career across 11 seasons. Theres also something in the MEN about him conceding 15 goal in 4 games for Rochdale whilst on loan from us.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/what-the-dickens-was-matt-doing-as-rochdales-1127141.amp

He could actually quite possibly be Rovers worst signing ever, literally; certainly the worst one signed in the modern era, and by King Kenny of all people!!

[tomphil]

  On 08/08/2020 at 06:17, MarkBRFC said:

Correct.

Kean wanted Simon Cox instead.

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That's the guy couldn't quite remember his name but i don't think he tore up many trees when he got his move.

[tomphil]

  On 08/08/2020 at 06:45, K-Hod said:

 A girl I was seeing was watching The Real Housewives of Cheshire. The size of his gaff is absolutely sickening for how shite he was at football....

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Just shows what they can achieve when they invest wisely.

About early 00's me and the gf at the time met him at an auction in Cheshire of all places, both of us had on some kind Rovers related gear. He clocked us and smiled and nodded then stopped for a chat when our paths crossed. Couldn't meet a nicer guy genuinely still interested in Rovers knew what was going on. 

I felt a bit guilty for some of the comments i'd no doubt said previously. End of the day though he was just out of his depth at top level, by some way. Never could it be said he didn't graft though or shirk a challenge, fair play to him for spending his money wisely.

[47er]

  On 08/08/2020 at 06:21, Oldgregg86 said:

All of the above and you can throw in koita, petshi, delfonso, Steele, ward, Sam hart, Jeffers, Fowler, Guthrie , tunnicliffe, Marrow, Samuelson, Harper , slew and I’m going to be on my own with this but Cory evans.

anthony stokes has to be in there also. Had ability didn’t use any of it. Also just remembered Tony watt watt watt. Shouldn’t be on this list just made chuckle thinking about the game away at Oxford

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Delfuenso has to be a genuine contender!

[Amo]

Bear in mind, Ashley Ward was our top goalscorer in 98/99

And that included a strikeforce of Sutton, Gallagher, Davies, Jansen, Blake...

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

  On 08/08/2020 at 05:59, SamTheLeedsRover said:

For relative size of money to era, Kevin Davies. He only scored twice, both against Sasa Illic of Charlton who fumbled them both. Although I think Woy has some blame here. Always remember Dave Jones at Soton saying he rejected 3 million, but would have accepted 3.5. Woy‘s next bid was 7.25million ?‍♂️ Frivolous with Jack’s cash for sure.

Personally, I always hated Ashley Ward. He was just crap. That 1 on 1 in the United game of 99 where we needed to win to stay up, and he chipped crapply wide. I cried my eyes out that night at Ewood watching Jack do the same. Thanks Ashley

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Jim Smith told a similar tale about Roy Boy signing Christian " Bloody " Dailly. He knew Rovers were interested so he approached his chairman to see what sort of fee would be acceptable. The chairman said " Not a penny less than £2 million Jim ".

Roy's opening offer what £5 million and Jim managed to talk him up to £5.25 million !

We've signed some crap over the last 20 years but no manager signed more rubbish than Hodgson given the fees involved.

I agree with you about Ashley Ward, he was awful. I remember watching him chugging after the ball out on the wing close to where my son and I were sat.  The centre half who was running with him wasn't a speed merchant but he was laughing at Ward. My son said " You could run faster than him dad and you're forty odd ! "

 

Edited August 8, 2020 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[tomphil]

  On 08/08/2020 at 09:01, Amo said:

Bear in mind, Ashley Ward was our top goalscorer in 98/99

And that included a strikeforce of Sutton, Gallagher, Davies, Jansen, Blake...

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He would be now as well, poor player but good target man. Likes of him will always plunder their fair share of goals at their level.

I'm going to say Stokes has to be one of if not THE worst signing although he didn't cost big money. He cost in wages, signing on fee and pay off and i'm 99.9% convinced that was a put up job.  Him coming here to get his much wanted move to HIbs, who's actually to blame i wouldn't be sure.

Rovers may just be the dumb side show as usual but if ever a move warranted an internal investigation it was that one, that b#st#rd had no intention of doing anything here.  Complete set up job he's a dodgy as they come.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Murphy.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

  On 08/08/2020 at 09:09, tomphil said:

He would be now as well, poor player but good target man. Likes of him will always plunder their fair share of goals at their level.

I'm going to say Stokes has to be one of if not THE worst signing although he didn't cost big money. He cost in wages, signing on fee and pay off and i'm 99.9% convinced that was a put up job.  Him coming here to get his much wanted move to HIbs, who's actually to blame i wouldn't be sure.

Rovers may just be the dumb side show as usual but if ever a move warranted an internal investigation it was that one, that b#st#rd had no intention of doing anything here.  Complete set up job he's a dodgy as they come.

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Good target man ? So's my dartboard.

[tomphil]

  On 08/08/2020 at 10:43, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Good target man ? So's my dartboard.

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He put himself about, was quite physical and tried to get on the end of stuff. Not much more you can ask of a limited forward.

The fact he barely resembled an actual footballer with the ball not withstanding.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

  On 08/08/2020 at 10:47, tomphil said:

He put himself about, was quite physical and tried to get on the end of stuff. Not much more you can ask of a limited forward.

The fact he barely resembled an actual footballer with the ball not withstanding.

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He was one very limited player. I remember Jansen getting away down the right wing in one game. He put the full back on his arse and turned back onto his left foot. Looking up he saw Ward moving un marked into the centre of goal about 10 yards out. Matty picked him out with a perfect pass, right onto his foot. Ward managed to volley the ball half way up the Darwen end stand.

[tomphil]

  On 08/08/2020 at 10:55, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

He was one very limited player. I remember Jansen getting away down the right wing in one game. He put the full back on his arse and turned back onto his left foot. Looking up he saw Ward moving un marked into the centre of goal about 10 yards out. Matty picked him out with a perfect pass, right onto his foot. Ward managed to volley the ball half way up the Darwen end stand.

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Oh he was limited alright but surprisingly a 110 goals in 388 appearances.

Just a B side Kevin Davies really, Allardyce would've loved him.

[simongarnerisgod]

  On 07/08/2020 at 22:33, tomphil said:

Never understood the hatred of Quinn from what seemed to be the moment he turned up.

Perez was class you could see that a mile away, not sure Hodgson had any idea what he was doing with him. Also heard he didn't fit in with the clique in the dressing room at the time, a bit like Davies. If Sherwood didn't like you you'd no chance.

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the problem with quinn was if it was`nt going his way,he used to put the white flag up and disapear into his own little world,on the occasions when he was on it he was a handful to deal with

i agree perez was class,though i don`t think his family settled at all,i did hear something about how the weather used to get him down,though no doubt in this rovers era  he was payed extremely well and this is britain,it will rain,a lot!!!!!

[Oldgregg86]

  On 08/08/2020 at 08:58, tomphil said:

Just shows what they can achieve when they invest wisely.

About early 00's me and the gf at the time met him at an auction in Cheshire of all places, both of us had on some kind Rovers related gear. He clocked us and smiled and nodded then stopped for a chat when our paths crossed. Couldn't meet a nicer guy genuinely still interested in Rovers knew what was going on. 

I felt a bit guilty for some of the comments i'd no doubt said previously. End of the day though he was just out of his depth at top level, by some way. Never could it be said he didn't graft though or shirk a challenge, fair play to him for spending his money wisely.

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I wrote the guy a letter when I was in primary school wishing his mum well because she had cancer and he replied with a hand written letter thanking me for my support wishing my family good health and sent signed photos of the whole squad . He was a top bloke, as you say, just out of his depth and after some of the arseholes in the game living mansions with gold toilets and smashing Ferrari’s up I’m happy he made a good life for himself.  I get the same feeling watching Elliot Bennett.