The most expensive transfers Premiership style - Part One
Thursday, 02 July 09, 04:36 AM · Comments(8)
Hi and hello football fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! Me and the minions here in the broom closet at football guy towers are really enjoying the sun and will continue to do so for as long as it last..... We all know it's too good to last...... A bit like Hull City last season......
Anyway, I think we can all agree that there has been some rather large amounts of money thrown around this summer so far - Kaka (£56m) C-Ron (£80m) Football Guys party bill last Friday (£***). Now the first two will probably be worth it in the end but I guess time will tell on the third. They say money can't buy you success, well I say it can take you a long way.
So basically what I'm going to do is run through each Premiership season and grade the most expensive signing of that season. Let's see if - Money = Success.
1992/93 Alan Shearar to Blackburn - £3.3m - Grade = A
Just before the inaugural Premiership season Blackburn managed to outbid United and snag Big Al from Southampton for a British record fee.
I think we can all say it was quite a successful move. He and Chris Sutton formed the famous SAS partnership that brought Blackburn a league title for the first time in 81 years.
Big Al also won both the PFA player of the year award and the Football writers player of the year award during his four year spell at the club.
The most impressive part though was his goal scoring record - 171 games = 130 goals - and in the league it was even better - 138 games = 112 goals.
This would have been an A+ but due to the relatively short time he spent at Ewood and the lack of success in two European campaigns bring it down just a tad.
1993/94 Roy Keane to United - £3.75m - Grade = A+
Basically all I need to say is this -
- Premier League (7): 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003
- FA Cup (4): 1994, 1996, 1999, 2004
- FA Community Shield (4): 1993, 1996, 1997, 2003
- UEFA Champions League: 1999
- Intercontinental Cup: 1999
United paid what was a British Record at the time but boy was it worth it. The Premiership still has not replaced him.
1994/95 Andy Cole to United - £6m - Grade = B
It was actually £6m + Keith Gillespie but who cares about Keith.
Whilst Blackburn had SAS, United went on to have Yorke and Cole which was far more successful.
It was the third season in a row the British transfer record (BTR) was broken and by and large it was a good signing.
It only got a B though due to the fact Cole never won the golden boot or scored more than 19 goals in any league campaign which is not that great considering United pad a BTR for him.
1995/96 Stan Collymore to Liverpool - £8.4m - Grade = E
Guess what - BTR broken for a fourth season in a row, this time though it was not such a good idea.
Collymore had the talent, but unfortunately he will be remembered more for his off field activities. He actually cost more that Dennis Bergkamp who was bought that same summer for £7.5m
The only real highlights for me were his goals in that 4-3 thriller against Newcastle, but again they were over shadowed by his sexual deviancy and beating up Ulrika Johnson.
1996/97 Alan Shearer to Newcastle - £15m - Grade = B+
Fifth season in a row that the BTR was broken, only this time it was also the World Record.
He went on to score 206 goals for Newcastle and become the clubs leading all time goal scorer, but the fact they never won anything slips this form a A or A+ to just a B+.
I know that's not just down to him, but transfers have to be looked at in regard to what was achieved as well and for Newcastle unfortunately, very little was.
1997/98 Les Ferdinand to Tottenham - £6m - Grade = D
Finally, not BTR!!!!
Ferdinand, or Sir Les to you and I, had six rather injury plagued season at Spurs.
He never managed to score more than 10 league goals in a season but he did help Spurs win the League gup in 1999 and almost again in 2002.
Learned how to fly a chopper whilst at Spurs.
1998/99 Dwight Yorke to United - £12.6m - Grade = B
Technically this was not the biggest transfer in the Premiership that year.
Nicolas Anelka moving from Arsenal to Real Madrid was but since he was leaving well will talk about Yorkey in stead.
It was a club record signing for United and I would have graded it higher if not for the fact he only spent four years there. But boy were they good.
Three Premierships One Champions League One FA Cup.
1999/00 Sergi Rebrov to Tottenham - £11m - Grade = F
Remember when Shevchenko and Rebrov were terrorizing defenses in the Champions League? Yeah I do!! Well Sheva and Rebrov were like Wham in their heyday and unfortunately for Spurs when "Wham" broke up George Michael (Sheva) went to AC Milan and they got stuck with Andrew Ridgely (Rebrov).
What makes me laugh is the fact Arsenal bought Henry that same summer for less money....... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA........hahahaha.
10 league goals in four years says it all.
To be continued......
Like this blog? Help spread the word: 
-
JP said:ANELKA DID NOT DIVE!!!! GIVEN CLEARLY GRABBED ANELKA'S FOOT. It was all over ...
On Weekend Preview 09/10 - Gameweek 13 - Sponsored by Thierry Henry's left hand
IAWWT said:I have decided to christen the whole incident, 'The Hand of Frog' as my blog ti...
On Weekend Preview 09/10 - Gameweek 13 - Sponsored by Thierry Henry's left hand
footydoc said:I´m not late with my predictions your just early with your post
On Weekend Preview 09/10 - Gameweek 13 - Sponsored by Thierry Henry's left hand
JamrockRover said:I've just read the other comments and I see Rob agrees with me but it is always...
On Weekend Preview 09/10 - Gameweek 13 - Sponsored by Thierry Henry's left hand
JamrockRover said:Sorry about my late predictions but you should have them now. As for Henry the ...
On Weekend Preview 09/10 - Gameweek 13 - Sponsored by Thierry Henry's left hand
-
Football_Guy
London, GB
If you like Football and pop culture you have come to the right place!
8 Comments · Add yours
Good blog mate.. when are you ever going to tell us what that bar bill was....
oooh the suspense.
Actually I thought you were going to keep schtum about it after only mentioning it once, but you did again today...
Come on you can tell us what you spent and where you spent it?
good idea this, interesting.
it's interesting how much money Spurs have chucked around over the years for relatively little return (in terms of success at least).
it would be interesting to see the total premiership transfer spending for each season, but i guess that might not be the most accessible statistic.
Reply to Martin Race:
I read that only 2 days ago on Twitter. I'll try to find it again and put it in my blog at some stage.
It's amazing to think how little(relatively) Arsenal paid for Bergkamp & Henry not to mention the likes of Vieira, Pires & Overmars too.
I think that's a bit harsh on old Stanley. Yes he didn't win the league in his two years at Liverpool but 28 goals in 63 games isn't a bad record by any means. Off the field is a different matter but he only became crap on it once he joined Villa.
Owen to United?? Is it just me that feels a warm fuzzy feeling when i imagine Owen and Rooney playing together week in week out (or until Owen gets injured)? A bold or stupid move by Sir Alex, we shall wait and see.
Btw, Jamrock, i checked out the spending chart on your blog. That's pretty interesting, especially to see West Ham as one of the few in profit.
Reply to Martin Race:
I robbed it from a Manure fan who will kill me when she finds out but I'm sure she robbed it from elsewhere.