I started going just after we sold Rodney Marsh, so the first star player whom I can remember leaving was Dennis Tueart. That was a big disappointment because he was a huge favourite and still at his peak. Meanwhile, Allison selling not only the oft-mentioned Barnes and Owen but also Hartford and Watson in the summer of 1979 came as a shock. All four of those players were great favourites and should have stayed.
However, the one that stands out for me is Trevor Francis in 1982. When he was sold after being used in local media to sell season tickets, it seemed to signal that we were no longer able to compete with the top clubs (before then, you always felt that we had that ambition). And unfortunately that analysis proved to be correct. I was absolutely gutted.
