Bizarre Blades Business

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

Which transfer (either in or out) made you go "eh?"

My nomination was Roger Nilsen signing for then Premiership Tottenham. I always liked Nilsen and was a bit sad to see him leave, but leaving to go to a big Premiership club and straight into the 1st team from our bench was strange.

Any others?

 

[Grecian2000]

I'm not sure it was actually "eh?" that I said (more likely wtf), but the signing of Tommy Johnson certainly had me scratching my head (and bollocks).

I think signing Jimmy Johnstone got me more excited than any other signing up unto that moment. Seeing him "play" soon calmed me down.

Alex Sabella caused a big "wow" at the time when exotic South Americans weren't exactly ten a penny in the football league.

I too couldn't believe Nilson moved to Spurs.

 

[alcoblade]

Marcus Williams winning a contract after a loan spell of woeful standards. Blackwell getting a contract extension for boring us into submission.

UTB

 

[bornablade]

The sale of Willie Carlin in August 1968 left me gobsmacked. (I realise this has been mentioned recently). We were near the top of the 'old' division 2 and Derby were 3rd from bottom. Carlin was one of our star performers and yet Clough senior managed to persuade him to join them. They never looked back, but as they say that's another story.

 

[Bergen Blade]

Didn't John Pemberton go straight into Leeds' team after he left us for a small fee? He was man of the match in a televised game I saw and the commentator was amazed that we'd let him go so cheaply.

 

[Kenilworth]

No question about it the answer has to be Deane and Fjortoft going on the same day with no replacements

Spackman resigned and we went on a downward spiral

 

[munich]

Mick Jones - I was a kid - was my introduction to the world of the disillusioned

 

[2ndtenorblade]

Mick Jones - I was a kid - was my introduction to the world of the disillusioned

Me too.

 

[grafikhaus]

The sale of Willie Carlin in August 1968 left me gobsmacked. (I realise this has been mentioned recently). We were near the top of the 'old' division 2 and Derby were 3rd from bottom. Carlin was one of our star performers and yet Clough senior managed to persuade him to join them. They never looked back, but as they say that's another story.

Or, hopefully, history will repeat itself?

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

Mick Jones - I was a kid - was my introduction to the world of the disillusioned

I remember the feeling, munich. I was 9 at the time and I loved Mick Jones. To the eternal credit of Blades fans, they knew who the culprit was and there was a loud chorus of "send Dick Wragg to Vietnam" at the next home game.

A "signing" which really upset me (because I loathed the player) was that of Alan Whittle from Everton in the early seventies. I was relieved when it fell through because he failed a medical.

Terry Curran was a hard one to take, too.

 

[broomhillblade]

Didn't John Pemberton go straight into Leeds' team after he left us for a small fee? He was man of the match in a televised game I saw and the commentator was amazed that we'd let him go so cheaply.

There was some 'background' to it. Allegedly.

 

[Russ]

I like the title!

I think the most bizarre has to be loaning out Peter Withe to Birmingham, and us getting goalkeeper Roger Hansbury in return. Then United played Birmingham and surprise surprise Withe scored one if not both their goals (I think the score was 0-2.)

Bet he didn't throw his sweat bands into the kop on that occassion!

 

[Silent Blade]

I like the title!

I think the most bizarre has to be loaning out Peter Withe to Birmingham, and us getting goalkeeper Roger Hansbury in return. Then United played Birmingham and surprise surprise Withe scored one if not both their goals (I think the score was 0-2.)

Bet he didn't throw his sweat bands into the kop on that occassion!

He scored both goals! After the game Reg Brealey was furious with Billy McEwan for allowing our player to play against us and score twice!

 

[Silent Blade]

Ian Benjamin and Oliver Tebily left us for fees we were happy to take!

 

[Russ]

He scored both goals! After the game Reg Brealey was furious with Billy McEwan for allowing our player to play against us and score twice!

Good old Reg!

 

[Bladesman]

Ian Benjamin and Oliver Tebily left us for fees we were happy to take!

Getting money for Mikele Legsofwood I found rather surprising.

We bought him for 600k and manage to make 300k profit selling him to QPR.

I was not sad to see him leave.

 

[Captain]

Keith Edwards first to Hull then to Leeds United.Best finisher I have ever seen in a United Shirt!probably could still do a job.

 

[Ashtonsmashton]

For me Paddy Kenny, especially after we stayed with him.
Or Matt Lowton, I was really surprised with that.

 

[Silent Blade]

Keith Edwards first to Hull then to Leeds United.Best finisher I have ever seen in a United Shirt!probably could still do a job.

Harry Haslam bought the injury prone Steve Finnieston from Chelsea for £100K and we sold Keith Edwards to Hull for only £50K. It was bad business as Finnieston scored only 4 goals for us. Had we not bought him and kept Edwards I am sure Edwards would have enjoyed running onto Sabella's quick thinking through balls

 

[Lane Ender]

Keith Edwards first to Hull then to Leeds United.Best finisher I have ever seen in a United Shirt!probably could still do a job.

A lot better striker than a football pundit

 

[Wards]

Luke Beckett was a strange one...

 

[Bladesway]

Edwards to Leeds, Deane to Leeds, Fjortoft and Deane on that day. Blake to Bolton and any number of "you are fucking joking "moments that have these days become a shrug of my shoulders.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

John Ebrell was a bizarre transfer. Especially when he was known to be a big injury risk before the deal.

 

[ScoobBlade]

Barry hayles. Can't remember the exact time frame but he seemed to come and go in a few short weeks

 

[secretchief]

I like the title!

I think the most bizarre has to be loaning out Peter Withe to Birmingham, and us getting goalkeeper Roger Hansbury in return. Then United played Birmingham and surprise surprise Withe scored one if not both their goals (I think the score was 0-2.)

Bet he didn't throw his sweat bands into the kop on that occassion!

That was my first night match. I would have been about seven. It was very confusing and disheartening for a young lad to see our own player demolish us with two perfect headers. Strange this should come back up now. Brandy's hat-trick put me in mind of it the other day.

 

[BladeInBC]

The biggest, "Eh?" for me was when Newcastle signed Wayne Quinn. He was excellent when he first started at left back (with Vas Bob at right back) but disappeared and became pub team standard. Then Newcastle paid a million for him...? Eh?

 

[gavtheblade]

Marlon King.

 

[Deadly_D'Jaffo]

I was pleasantly surprised when we bought Geary, always wanted him and was surprised that Stockport sold him so soon.

 

[TAMUS]

Swapping the Kng of Sheffield " Sir John Tudor " for Hopeless and Fraud was Strange .

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

Swapping the Kng of Sheffield " Sir John Tudor " for Hopeless and Fraud was Strange .

In the long run it was strange. Tudor was a very good centre forward and a better player than either Ford or Hope or even Ford and Hope. But, as has been pointed on here recently, in the short term it probably got us promotion. Despite his protestations in his autobiography, Hodgy was beginning to show his age and the defence was losing confidence in him. There were genuine fears of United having another mid-season wobble and dropping away and the introduction of Hope (and, of course, Hockey) had a huge positive effect on the promotion campaign. Hope's flaws only began to show well into the following season.