We bought 'em too late

[bluezippy]

Dalian Atkinson- After having a highley promising youth career, he moved to Spain for big money (at the time), before returning to England for a decent spell at Villa (again for a couple of million) before then moving to somewhere in Turkey (again for a decent fee from what I can remember.

Was a good 7 stone plus overweight by the time he made it to Manchester, and is one of the worst players I've ever seen in a City shirt.

 

[Wienerwald]

Andrei Kanchelskis - sadly not the player he once was. And I'm thinking about his performance against us at the Swamp in 1994. Still gives me nightmares.

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

Three who spring to my mind are Schmeichel (snr), Deyna and Denis Law.

We had Law first.

I know. And we let him go before he really established himself as a great player, though he was obviously going to do so. Then we got him back when he was past his best (though still OK and he did score one wonderfully memorable goal for us). But he wasn't on anything like the same level when he came back to us as he'd been when voted European Player of the Year nearly a decade previously, which is why he belongs in this thread.

I knew what you meant mate.
Him and Rodney Marsh scored in my first ever match.
0-2 v Southampton just a few weeks before 'the' backheel.

 

[markbmcfc]

Andrei Kanchelskis - sadly not the player he once was. And I'm thinking about his performance against us at the Swamp in 1994. Still gives me nightmares.

Good shout.

Didnt he come on as sub for us against the rags and then get subbed about 5 mins later?

 

[The_mace]

I always wonder what Ali B would have been like if we'd had him 10 years earlier.

 

[blueonblue]

Freddy Hill will tug at a few of the older supporters, by the time we got him he could hardly raise much more than a fast walk.

If I remember rightly he scored two and set another one up on his debut for us as he just strolled towards goal leaving a trail of defenders on their arse, a drop of the shoulder and a shuffle of feet was all he ever needed to beat anyone, and he could hold the ball all day with three or four players around him before delivering a pin sharp pass.

He must have been 37-38 when we got him, and retired at the end of the season, yet I still say he was one of the best ball players I ever saw in a City shirt next to "Kinky".

 

[johnmc]

Andrew Cole

 

[gordondaviesmoustache]

Andy Cole

Fixed.


Peter Beardsley was pure unadulterated wank when he played for us.

 

[WEMBLEY76]

I thought we got a good return on Channon,top player in his day,did he return to Saints after City ?

 

[petrusha]

We had Law first.

I know. And we let him go before he really established himself as a great player, though he was obviously going to do so. Then we got him back when he was past his best (though still OK and he did score one wonderfully memorable goal for us). But he wasn't on anything like the same level when he came back to us as he'd been when voted European Player of the Year nearly a decade previously, which is why he belongs in this thread.

I knew what you meant mate.
Him and Rodney Marsh scored in my first ever match.
0-2 v Southampton just a few weeks before 'the' backheel.

I don't remember it, but my dad always complained bitterly about the sale of Law first time round. Said we should have kept him and built a team around him. At least he came back and gave us a fantastic memory, I suppose! :)

I suppose Peter Barnes is another one we had as a brilliant youngster, let go and came back at the end of his career when well past his best (no memorable swansong for him, though).