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Your top ten Saints signings of ALL time


Giordano

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Having just read a post from Gemmel on the Howard thread about how he rated the Lallana contract extension as one of the top ten, possibly top five Saints signings of all time has prompted me to think about what my top ten, or top five would be, and why.

 

I guess theres lots of variables at play that would affect your perception and its very subjective but here goes- my first draft -

 

1. Keegan. Signing the European player of the year, the coup of coups. No question.

2. help!

3. help!

4. help!

5. help!

 

Names that spring to mind and im missing loads out but ......Peter Shilton from Forest, got over 50 caps for eng whilst with saints 5years, Razor Ruddock from millwall who saved us from relegation one year, Peter Crouch from Villa, made us £5m in one year on transfer fees plus knocked pompey out the cup, Kevin Davies from Chesterfield- bought for £750k sold for £7.5m.....Mark Wright from Oxford played brilliant for 5 years sold at multiple times what we paid and england player too...don't think we paid a fee for Theo...must be dozens of obvious ones ive missed..help!

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Yes Keegan's was the most spectacular and unexpected and the best stage managed but he didn't stay long, we got bigger return from Ron Davies and even Jimmy Case and David Armstrong than from Keegan who upped and left, the way he does

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I would like to see Ronnie Ekelund although injury cut short his time.

 

Mick Channon, Charlie George, Alan Ball, Dave Watson, Mick Mills, Frank Worthington, Phil Boyer, Chris Nicholl, Richard Hall, James Beattie, Kevin Davies, Ruban Agboola.......... to name but a few

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George O'Brien was a great signing back in 1959 - he gave us the goals that got us from Div 3 to the verge of Div 1. For value for money, I think that Ken Monkou would be hard to beat.

 

I think in terms of VFM (although not strictly 'on topic') I would go with the double signing of the Pauls (Williams and Telfer) on frees by WGS, instantly the leakiest defence in the league became much more robust and we became a harder side to beat, which gave WGS time to impose his ideals and work ethic on the whole team.

 

I was REALLY excited about the Svensons and Delgado... obviously very disappointed by the way Delgado worked out but the Svensons did a good job for us, Michael more than Anders, but when Anders scored that Free kick against the Argies I could hardly contain my excitement!

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I don't know much about Saints before I started watching them in the early 70's but since then...

 

1. Keegan - for shock value and putting Saints back on the map

2. Peter Rodrigues - stability in defence and FA Cup captain

3. Alan Ball - past his best but brought the best out of Stevie Williams amongst others

4. Dave Armstrong - so under-rated. As good defending as he was in attack. The complete left midfielder

5. Peter Shilton - at the time STILL the best goalie in the country. If only Keegan had stayed another season......

6. Dean Richards RIP...one great season and then a massive profit in selling him to Spurs - LOVE IT!!

7. Claus - 10 years? great service and a constant steadying influence at the back

8. CMFG.....brought the best out of Bridgie and earnt us a fortune as a result -and he was a legend himself!

9. Super Marian??? - kept us in the Premiership, along with Matty, for an extra few years

10. Rickie Lambert - a bit sneaky, but I am including him on the strength of his goals in the next 10 or so games that sees us promoted back to the Championship!! :)

 

 

The memories are starting to fade a little now I am only following from afar, but every one of those made an impact for me, anyhow, but I am sure there are plenty of others I have forgotten....

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Guest Dark Sotonic Mills

MacDougall/Boyer

Keegan

Shilton

Mark Wright

Niemi

Marians Pahars

Michael Svensson

Lundekvam

Lambert

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Since I've been watching Saints... so nothing before 1991, permanent signings not loans, doesn't include anyone who could loosely be argued to be an academy product, and based on achievements not hype.

 

1. Pele (I heard he scored 1000 goals :D)

2. Antti Niemi

3. Michael Svensson

4. James Beattie

5. Marians Pahars

6. Chris Marsden

7. Claus Lundekvam

8. Kevin Davies (1st time)

9. Kevin Davies (2nd time)

10. Berkovic / Kachloul (tie).

 

Honorable mention to Jose Fonte, and re-signing Lallana (academy rule aside) - plus for cash reasons Dean Richards and Kenwyne Jones .

Edited by The9
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I was very underwhelmed when Killer signed...

I was over the moon when phillips signed...

 

just goes to show

 

Phillips only just missed my list. He did a pretty good job for us while he was here, but due to the relegation he wasn't around long enough to really make his mark.

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When we signed Dean Richards, I thought it was an excellent signing - Bosman's were still in their infancy and to get a player that had been getting rave reviews for Wolves seemed at the time an excellent coup. In addition getting £8.1 million for him after two exceptional seasons was good business on Lowe's part, I have to admit.

 

Other signings that had me chirping at the time were Chaplow's recent permanent transfer, a bargain IMO, Harding's free transfer and (I'll admit) Idiakez's transfer, albeit over the hill, I still thought he'd shine.

 

In hindsight, Mickey Evans' and Pahars' signings were inspired as they saved us from relegation, but I would say the most success we've had with players have been our own youngsters coming through the ranks. Back in the heady Premiership days, we seemingly always sucked at spending money. After all, who'd rate Delap and Delgado as good transfers?

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George O'Brien was a great signing back in 1959 - he gave us the goals that got us from Div 3 to the verge of Div 1. For value for money, I think that Ken Monkou would be hard to beat.

 

Great player. But it's amazing to think that a Br*nf**t signing could make the top 10!

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interesting feedback..

 

Channon was'nt a transfer, neither was MLT BUT extending his contracts were definately worth mentioning, macdougall/boyer i thought about but decided that they were'nt quite up there, neither Worthington or Phillips but Phillips WAS a big noise but on way down..ditto Alan Ball as he was 31 or 32 when he joined and although played well he was past prime, i LIKE the WGS vote for the williams pair- imaginative thinking that was...maybe Bridger is worth a shout? Liked Golac (first foreign player to play in domestic final) forgot, shamefully, CMFG from birminham - another 5 year term+england international, Stevie Williams 8years a saint -his contract renewal was another good one for me, Pyscho dennis from brum is worth a mention though maybe not top ten, Supermarianpahars MUST be a top ten...bought from Skonta Riga...

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Pahars/Kachloul for me and I always group them together as they came roughly at the same time.

 

We were utterly plop at that moment and definitely going down, then we signed these two. I remember being excited as I knew this was our last chance, they were exotic, unheard of, potentially brilliant (the Latvian Michael Owen etc.)

 

Then they played................... were class and suddenly the gloom, depression, despair was lifted. Joy!

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i'm only young but Charlie Wayman must up there!

 

I'm very old and I can tell you, you're spot on, he was the hero of the time, 'Down the middle for Charlie' was the battle cry, how we managed to get him from Newcastle when we were poor and they were thge Man U of their time, still amazes me

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"Phillips was also one of the best performers relegation season and showed some fight. If he'd been fit all season we'd have been alright, likewise Crouch and Beattie, and Pahars. Losing all 4 at times was fairly unlucky, and Niemi, and Svensson, and Oakley. Harsh..."

 

i'd forgot quite how injury ravaged we were that season, it all went wrong that season didn't it...

 

if only crouchie had gone for the corner eh!

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Alan Ball

 

Peter Osgood

 

Michael Svensson

 

Dean Richards

 

Marion Pahars

 

Jimmy Case

 

beat me to pahars, kept us in the prem, had an extra 6 years in the big time thanks to him. If we had gone down in '99 we would never have had the cup final or europe. Legend.

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Since I've been watching Saints... so nothing before 1991, permanent signings not loans, doesn't include anyone who could loosely be argued to be an academy product, and based on achievements not hype.

 

1. Pele (I heard he scored 1000 goals :D)

2. Antti Niemi

3. Michael Svensson

4. James Beattie

5. Marians Pahars

6. Chris Marsden

7. Claus Lundekvam

8. Kevin Davies (1st time)

9. Kevin Davies (2nd time)

10. Berkovic / Kachloul (tie).

 

Honorable mention to Jose Fonte, and re-signing Lallana (academy rule aside) - plus for cash reasons Dean Richards and Kenwyne Jones .

 

Didn't Kachloul just turn up with his bags because a mate of Dave Jones' recommended him?

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I was at the reserve game at the dell that was kachloul's trial..he was very good...it was against pompey reserves I think....Durnin scored for then lot

 

Think I might have been at that one.

 

Those reserve games at the dell were great. I remember Ramon Vega turning out for spuds when we had a really young team out. He looked like someone's dad making up the numbers...

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Maybe not a genius, but once did a great "Maradona vs England circa 1986" impression.

 

Dont think anyone has menioned so would add that Ivan Golac would be in my Transfer top 10.

 

How about biggest transfer disappointment ? Charlie "bizarre guardening accident" George would probably be up there.

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