Best signings of the last 40 years

[Oizys]

A few comments on the Harry Cornick thread about our best signings.  £1.2m for Akinbiyi and £150k for Micky Bell were both top shouts.  I felt it deserved its own thread. 

So who do you think would be our best in the last 40 years and why?

Starter for 10.  I agree with the above shouts, but for me Tinns for £180k is the best and most important signing we have made.  It started a love affair between him and the club and area (and neighbour, but we'll not talk about that one!) that has endured.  His importance to the club would never have been realised had we not signed him in the first place.  A joy to watch on the pitch and now giving us so much more off it. 

[Red Army 75]

Alan Walsh, 18 grand I think. What a player 

[bs22 red]

500k for Andy Cole. Best city player i have seen at the gate

[Nongazeuse]

3 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

Alan Walsh, 18 grand I think. What a player 

Yes definitely in terms of value for money.

[RedRoss]

Adam Webster bought for 3.5 million and sold for 20 the next year. Great player for us in that limited time too.

[ExiledAjax]

In terms of financial return then Webster is the standout. I believe we signed him for £3.5m, enjoyed a season watching a proper, wonderful defender, and then sold him for £20m. A cool £16.5m profit in a single year. No one else will even come close in terms of flipping a player up the divisions for big money.

My time watching doesn't go back 40 years, but I'd say in the time I have watched, and based on a cost/benefit ratio then Weimann stands out in the Championship, and in League 1 it's really between Wilbraham or Freeman, although Flint for £300k and sold for £7m after a 15-goal season, a promotion plus cup win, a disgustingly good hat-trick against Walsall, and generally being a good lad is pretty damn impressive as well.

[steveybadger]

6 minutes ago, bs22 red said:

500k for Andy Cole. Best city player i have seen at the gate

There would no argument at all if we’d had that sell on clause

[GrahamC]

Marvin Elliott was £100k & powered us to a playoff final.

Before injuries hampered him he had 3 or 4 excellent years at Championship level.

[cider hoss rules]

Maybe not the best, but the way Wilbs proved his worth time and time again, not just the goals but his attitude and approach.

The reaction to his signing was classic OTIB.

[Maltshoveller]

16 minutes ago, bs22 red said:

500k for Andy Cole. Best city player i have seen at the gate

As for a great signing

Akinbye scored one less goal than Cole and gave alot more effort 

Also made more money on him 

[The Gasbuster]

Sir Bob Taylor

34 goals including three hattricks during the 89-90 season.

Allowed to leave far too early.

Edited January 27, 2023 by The Gasbuster

[Oh Louie louie]

Joe Jordan by tc. Brought too many good players to the club to mention,

[AG City]

A lot of our best signings have come from Rotherham.  

Shaun Goater and Martin Scott especially.

[pogue malone]

2 minutes ago, AG City said:

A lot of our best signings have come from Rotherham.  

Shaun Goater and Martin Scott especially.

Also big John Galley

[And Its Smith]

Gary Shelton, Rob Newman, Adriano Basso, Korey Smith, Josh Brownhill, Scott Murray, Brian Tinnion, Bob Taylor

[Pie Eater]

How about Shaun Taylor 50k was the final piece that led to promotion.

[Oh Louie louie]

Trevor Morgan always sticks in my mind him getting booed off a coach at a away game on his second spell and he took it well.

[Oh Louie louie]

Watch dave smiths performance on the wing for the gills against us the season before we signed him, ran us more ragged than John salako

[Big C]

Lee Johnson 

[sticks 1969]

Andy cole

[David Brent]

Best we signed for a fee might be Jamie McCombe for about 5k

Edited January 27, 2023 by David Brent

[Sturny]

Best signing surely has to be Matty Taylor, the pure wind up of it 

[Simon bristol]

In terms of profit, and some goals kodjia must be high on the list

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, Simon bristol said:

In terms of profit, and some goals kodjia must be high on the list

I loved Jimmy Dangers.  Like Semenyo, got you off your feet.

I loved him booting Kyle McFadzean up the arse off the ball against MK Dons.  McFadzean had caught him a few times earlier…so he waited for MK to attack, and just booted him.  Beautiful!

[2015]

Wilbraham for free.

[Lanterne Rouge]

The whole of the Cotts side really. We didn`t pay a lot for any of them and what we did shell out was covered by selling Sam Baldock. Terrific VFM.

[Bob Taylor is GOD]

2 hours ago, pogue malone said:

Also big John Galley

I know it doesn't seem like it, but not in the last 40 years

[deadredfred]

How much was Basso?

[Sir Colby-Tit]

Got to be that player valued at £10m, that we got for £300k from some amateur club up north.

[Ronnie Sinclair]

Henry McKop

[Barry Sheene]

In terms of getting the club back on its feet in the bottom division Glyn Riley was an excellent signing

[pogue malone]

32 minutes ago, Bob Taylor is GOD said:

I know it doesn't seem like it, but not in the last 40 years

Ha yeah, meant more of reminder he played for Rotherham United back in the day, my boyhood fav city player

[Show Me The Money!]

Dave Smith 

[Oizys]

All great replies, still none of them changing my mind on Tinns. Another £9m (maybe) into the club today that may well not have come had we not bought him way back when. The ripple effect is massive.

[22A]

4 hours ago, AG City said:

A lot of our best signings have come from Rotherham.  

Shaun Goater and Martin Scott especially.

Goal keeper Keith Welch.

[22A]

As for  cash bargains; 1990. Mark Gavin went to Watford and City received Wayne Allison plus £100,000 and in December 1991 signed Mark Gavin for a second time at a cost of £65,000.

[Maltshoveller]

We didn't pay to much for Scott Murray did we?

He wasn't to bad

[Bristol Rob]

5 hours ago, 2015 said:

Wilbraham for free.

Read that to the tune of a Dire Straights song.

Odd how the mind works.

[AG City]

3 hours ago, 22A said:

Goal keeper Keith Welch.

Think he came from Rochdale rather than Rotherham 

[Redtrojan]

Howard Pritchard,like Clive whitehead,a tricky goal scoring winger at a time we were rebuilding from absolute bottom.

['Pack' It In]

Aidan Flint in terms of what he gave us, was a tidy signing. Dont know if we paid Swindon the 320k they wanted. But Flint was a solid defender an such a threat at corners.

['Pack' It In]

Darren Byfield was a great pick up as well! but on Goals per game must be Jason Roberts  - Honestly I am joking 

Edited January 27, 2023 by 'Pack' It In
Tidy up text

[cheddarwedlocker]

Aden Flint surely gotta be up there. £300,000 or so, 15 goals from CB in a season! Kept us in the championship before contributing to that cup run. Will never forget that hattrick against Walsall, or even that goal line clearance against Man City, from the sterling header. Sold him for around 7m as well.

Edited January 27, 2023 by OliOTIB

['Pack' It In]

5 hours ago, Ronnie Sinclair said:

Henry McKop

I will see your Henry Mckop an raise you Andy Smith!

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, 'Pack' It In said:

Darren Byfield was a great pick up as well! but on Goals per game must be Jason Roberts  - Honestly I am joking 

Louis Britton from Mangotsfield beats them all

[robinforlife2]

Wade Elliott for me.

Came in and instantly improved us and helped us gain promotion. Really exciting midfielder and linked everything together. 

[Oh Louie louie]

One of the most iconic moments of the 90s, Andy leanings penalty save, good servant and a snip at 12k, worth every penny watching Holloway slink off with his tail between his legs

[Eddie Hitler]

Darren Barnard, £175k from Chelsea and changed the side when he moved to left wingback; unstoppable going forward and few got past him. Plus great at taking set pieces. Our own Stuart Pearce though without the emotions.

The OTIB fanzine had an article showing the season's stats broken into BD and AD, the "D" standing for Darren, and the improvement was stunning.

Went to then Premier League Barnsley for £750k and soon thereafter earned a full Wales' cap.

[Edge1981]

16 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

Swapping Liam Kelly for Korey Smith weren't bad. 

I never realised that we got Smith in a swap deal. Great business

[City oz]

16 hours ago, Oh Louie louie said:

Joe Jordan by tc. Brought too many good players to the club to mention,

Joe Jordan great player and manager. He bought so much to the club. time scale though we are now talking over 40 years ago. Jow is well known and had great spells at Man U, Leeds and Morton. I remember 1988 to 1990 and the great cup run we had.

[Sir Geoff]

Norman Hunter (40k ?)

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, Edge1981 said:

I never realised that we got Smith in a swap deal. Great business

We paid a significant sum as well, £300k I think, it wasn’t simply a straight exchange.

Still brilliant business, I never forget the one week in the summer Cotts signed Korey, Luke Freeman, Mark Little & Wade Elliott. Wilbs arrived about a fortnight later to “mixed” reviews on here..

That golden season was set up by that week.

[GrahamC]

7 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

Norman Hunter (40k ?)

Followed a month later by Peter Cormack for £55k, I mean, come on..

”When we were kings”..

[City oz]

5 minutes ago, Sir Geoff said:

Norman Hunter (40k ?)

Norman is a legend. I remember seeing his funeral on the tele at leeds where they carried his coffin up through the tunnel and onto the pitch. One of the best and competative footballers ever to put on a City shirt.

[City oz]

1 minute ago, GrahamC said:

Followed a month later by Peter Cormack for £55k, I mean, come on..

”When we were kings”..

Great years for those of us that remember that era.

[City oz]

1 minute ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Eeh good thread many of the best have been mentioned

David Seal 80k from Young Boys

Albert Adomah was something daft like 30k, ditto Bolasie

JET was part of a Swap deal

Aggo was 100k

Luke Wiltshire 250k

Bradders was on a free iirc

Prol loads more 

 

 

 

 

There has been some big ones signed as well. Not sure if there are any more expensive than Fam.

Fam - 5.3 Mill.

Baker 4 Mill.

Tomlin 3 Mill. 

Magnússon 2.5 Mill.

 

Biggest sale I-am aware of is Kodjia at around 15Mill to Villa.

[22A]

10 hours ago, AG City said:

Think he came from Rochdale rather than Rotherham 

Correct. I was rushing this and just picked up on the starting Ro 

[Lanterne Rouge]

50 minutes ago, City oz said:

There has been some big ones signed as well. Not sure if there are any more expensive than Fam.

Fam - 5.3 Mill.

Baker 4 Mill.

Tomlin 3 Mill. 

Magnússon 2.5 Mill.

 

Biggest sale I-am aware of is Kodjia at around 15Mill to Villa.

Adam Webster says Hi!

[NcnsBcfc]

19 hours ago, Steve Watts said:

A few comments on the Harry Cornick thread about our best signings.  £1.2m for Akinbiyi and £150k for Micky Bell were both top shouts.  I felt it deserved its own thread. 

So who do you think would be our best in the last 40 years and why?

Starter for 10.  I agree with the above shouts, but for me Tinns for £180k is the best and most important signing we have made.  It started a love affair between him and the club and area (and neighbour, but we'll not talk about that one!) that has endured.  His importance to the club would never have been realised had we not signed him in the first place.  A joy to watch on the pitch and now giving us so much more off it. 

Given that Hunter was 45/46 years ago. I'm going to stick to 40 years.

Lots of players we've enjoyed over the years (Walshie, Super Bob, Cole, Abrahams).

But for me the best actual signing in terms of where it could have potentially taken the club has got to be Webster.

£3.5m turned into £20m+ in 1 season, and he smashed all of the stats for the divison that seaspn as well.

Of course, in hindsight the money was squandered. But i think he's the best defender i've seen for us since Collier & Hunter, and his partnership with Kalas was great. We still haven't replaced him.

Bettet in my eyes that Caulkner as well, but he was also great for us.

[Sir Geoff]

No shout out yet for Mickey Bell £150,000 !!!

[Show Me The Money!]

11 hours ago, AG City said:

Think he came from Rochdale rather than Rotherham 

Where did we get Ronnie Sinclair from. He was a quality goalie

[Show Me The Money!]

10 hours ago, OliOTIB said:

Aden Flint surely gotta be up there. £300,000 or so, 15 goals from CB in a season! Kept us in the championship before contributing to that cup run. Will never forget that hattrick against Walsall, or even that goal line clearance against Man City, from the sterling header. Sold him for around 7m as well.

Flint was a strange one as when he first came in and the club were struggling he was a liability. He then got injured which actually helped the team out. The next season he was a lot better

[Sturny]

8 hours ago, robinforlife2 said:

Wade Elliott for me.

Came in and instantly improved us and helped us gain promotion. Really exciting midfielder and linked everything together. 

Its crazy how much we changed when he arrived, his goal vs Mk Dons was my favourite 

[Unan]

Bobby Reid was technically signed from Roman Glass St George F.C if that counts

Edited January 28, 2023 by Marcus Aurelius

[Offside]

1 hour ago, Sir Geoff said:

No shout out yet for Mickey Bell £150,000 !!!

We got him cheap!

[Marina's Rolls Royce]

Sean Taylor- monster of a player- what price for the likes of him in our team today?

[Clevedon Red]

4 minutes ago, Marina's Rolls Royce said:

Sean Taylor- monster of a player- what price for the likes of him in our team today?

Priceless 

[Chairman Mao]

Kodjia and Webster were incredibly rapid profits in recent years.

Albert Adomah will always have a place in my heart. Stand out in that dogshite team under Millen.

[Elruliri]

4 hours ago, Show Me The Money! said:

Where did we get Ronnie Sinclair from. He was a quality goalie

Leeds utd

[Ring]

Okay, I’ll be that guy.

Dariusz Dziekanowski. I know he had his issues. I know he was unreliable. I know he sowed disharmony in the dressing room. I know he “liked a drink”. I know he wasn’t even a bargain, nor did he play for us for that long.

But boy, did I enjoy watching him play. Very few players could match the excitement he generated.

Mostly though, I credit him with helping my recovery from a serious road accident. It was the Wolves match in 1992.

Yes, I know he wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he was our most important signing from my personal point of view.