Vintage rumours (2 Viewers)

[JimmyHillsbeard]

I seem to remember us being linked with Jorg Albertz and maybe Neil McCann from Rangers? Also Gary Naysmith who ended up at Everton and im sure some random norwegian guy called Lund at some point. God knows why i remember this.

Andreas Lund was going to be Dublin’s replacement. Instead we got Darren Jackson on loan from Hibs.

bit like when we failed to sign Chris Marsden after a brilliant loan spell, choosing instead to bring in Sandy Robertson

 

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[skybluedan]

Rob earnshaw or Lee trundle i remember but yeah could be me playing some manager game

 

[JimmyHillsbeard]

Rob earnshaw or Lee trundle i remember but yeah could be me playing some manager game

wasnt Earnshaw the original “spotted filling up his Bentley at the Tesco garage by The Ricoh”?

 

[Bernie Rhodes Nose]

See also, Robert Jarni.

That wasn't a rumour.

 

[Greggs]

Andrew Driver?

 

[procdoc]

We were in for Zenden when he was still playing in Holland if I remember correctly

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Kurt Drago

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

Van Nistelrooy - didn’t think he was good enough (although I think he was a midfielder at the time)

 

[Frostie]

We were in for Zenden when he was still playing in Holland if I remember correctly

Correct. He'd all but agreed then Barcelona came in for him last minute.

 

[Malaka]

Another one I think we were close to signing was Lee Bowyer. It was just before we signed McAllister, but then Leeds came in and pipped us.

That's right. We were also close to signing Chris Coleman to.

 

[shmmeee]

We were briefly linked to Gazza by the CET when he was in Italy

 

[Jesse Carver]

Juan Ugarte from Wrexham in 04/05 - was tearing it up when they were in League 1 or whatever it was called back then.

 

[Gynnsthetonic]

Pavel Nedved was on our radar in 96 until Czech Republic got to the final of Euro 96 with him being star man, think he went to Italy in the summer!

 

[Deleted member 5849]

We were briefly linked to Gazza by the CET when he was in Italy

Pretty sure we actually did bid for him... but ended up with Paul Telfer instead.

Story of the Atkinson years, bid for players with no clue how they'd fit into the shape of the team. As mentioned before, a Neil Lennon type was just what our midfield needed so once he didn't come, we needed to find the same style.

 

[SBT]

I have a vague memory from the late 90s of a spurious tabloid rumour that Rangers and Celtic were going to buy their way into the Premiership by launching takeovers of Coventry and Wimbledon respectively. Can remember getting super excited at the time, but can’t find any trace of it now. Anyone else remember or did I imagine it?

 

[skybluelee]

I heard an interview with Bull recently. He said he was offered less in wages to play in the Premier League with Cov than he was to stay at Wolves in Div 1 (as it was then called).

 

[Joy Division]

 

[ovduk78]

We were briefly linked to Gazza by the CET when he was in Italy

I heard that when he was at Rangers and around the time of the David Busst testimonial that he played in, Walter Smith wanted a player swap with Gascoigne for McAllister. If true I would have snapped his hand off.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

I heard an interview with Bull recently. He said he was offered less in wages to play in the Premier League with Cov than he was to stay at Wolves in Div 1 (as it was then called).

Typical SISU

 

[oscillatewildly]

That wasn't a rumour.

It turned out to be little more than.

 

[blunted]

Not a rumour, but back in the mists of time we turned down future European footballer of the year Kevin Keegan for being too small and Chris Waddle when they had trials. Someone was seriously shit back in the day.

 

[Terry_dactyl]

That one dragged on for an entire summer!

 

[eastwoodsdustman]

Showing my age a bit now but Ian Crook from Norwich was supposed to sign for us and changed his mind.

 

[Legia Sky Blue]

Not a rumour, but back in the mists of time we turned down future European footballer of the year Kevin Keegan for being too small and Chris Waddle when they had trials. Someone was seriously shit back in the day.

Yes Waddle came down from the North East with Ray Gooding who we signed instead. Staying on the Charlton theme from the Lee Bowyer days am sure about the same time we were also reported to be in for Richard Rufus.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Nathan Blake was heavily linked when Dublin left I think

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

Van Nistelrooy - didn’t think he was good enough (although I think he was a midfielder at the time)

No he was offered as a striker but Strachan said we were top heavy up front and didn't need another forward

 

[Torquay Sky Blue]

We also turned Kevin Keegan down when trialled as a teenager. Too small.

 

[JulianDarbyFTW]

I seem to recall we were linked with Dean Richards back in the day. Always liked him, so was disappointed it didn't happen.

 

[SleepyGinger]

Not one of our rumours but across this story from when Alen Boksic and Noel Whelan signed for Middlesborough.

“In 2000, Middlesbrough bolstered their attack with the signings of Lazio's Alen Bokšić and Noel Whelan of Coventry City. The former won the Champions League with Marseille and Serie A with both Juventus and Lazio, the latter received two England under-21 caps in 1994.

After a particularly poor display, Bokšić was left frustrated by his new strike partner. Having previously played alongside the likes of Davor Šuker, Marcelo Salas and Alessandro Del Piero, Whelan took a bit of getting used to.

The next Monday, Bokšić paid a visit to one of the Middlesbrough hierarchy and demanded to know how much his new teammate was being paid. He then wanted to know how long Whelan had remaining on his contract. Satisfied with the answers, he left.

The next day, Bokšić returned waving a cheque at the Boro staff member. “That's Whelan's wages for the rest of his contract”, the Croatian said, “Now tell him to f*ck off.”

 

[Earlsdon-Loyal-Blue]

Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson on permanent moves. It was talked about at the time, few years later Ray Ranson came out and said both were close-ish but SISU pulled the plug.

Back in the day I seem to remember Andrew Driver, Peter Whittingham, Daniel Nardiello, getting lots of mentions on the transfer rumour front.

 

[Grendel]

Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson on permanent moves. It was talked about at the time, few years later Ray Ranson came out and said both were close-ish but SISU pulled the plug.

That was a rumour in Uncle Rays tiny mind.

 

[mark82]

Weren't we linked to John Carew at one point?

 

[Deleted member 5849]

That was a rumour in Uncle Rays tiny mind.

Yeah, I could maybe buy Carroll as being genuine, but Henderson was always coming just for the experience, he was always slated for the first team at Sunderland.

 

[MAFF]

nacho novo

 

[JulianDarbyFTW]

Yeah, I could maybe buy Carroll as being genuine, but Henderson was always coming just for the experience, he was always slated for the first team at Sunderland.

I'm sure we were going to loan Henderson back the following season, and then their manager (was it Ricky Sbragia?) got sacked, and that was that.