Lost his confidence in front of goal - but never hid, and was always involved in everything we did going forward.
Always closed down and put defenders on the ball under pressure.
Came to the game late from as an amateur who had a job - always appreciated how lucky he was to be a Pro.
Spot on attitude.
I agree, more overall ability than any other striker we've had this season. Just lacked composure and then lost his confidence which made it even worse.
well offside for one of his goals but still well taken, i thought he would have been a good signing given time, him and Iwelumo would have been my pairing up front but when pards decided against big man small man and went in iwelumo's words 'down another path' ended that.
[cite]Posted By: adamtheaddick[/cite]well offside for one of his goals but still well taken, i thought he would have been a good signing given time, him and Iwelumo would have been my pairing up front but when pards decided against big man small man and went in iwelumo's words 'down another path' ended that.
a very crap route - they were working together too!
Has come out of retirement at the age of 39 to re-join Burton as player/fitness coach
That was last year wasnt it? - He's gone back to Quorn now where he began his career
I must be going mad! I read that he had re-joined Burton, on a one year contract, Burton as player/fitness coach at the age of 39 but I can't find any mention of it today. It's time!!!!!
I was so excited when we signed him. Pity it never worked out
Only ever showed flashes of quality, him and Andy Gray were class when we beat Coventry on the final day of the season but never showed enough consistency together!! - Hope another Crewe signing doesnt go the same way.
I was chuffed when he came in, 25 goals the previous season in L1, seemed like exactly the kind of player we should be going for to get us back up to the Premier League, and then he was awful. God, I hate that squad so much looking back on them; McCarthy was atrocious for us then went on to play for Palace in the Prem, Moutaouakil was apparently wanted by big clubs and managed about 5 good games before disappearing, Zheng looked decent in the Prem and then collapsed with everyone else in the Championship, Racon basically didn't play for a season and a half, Todorov predictably spent his time on the treatment table and I think we broke McLeod. The only thing you can say for that squad is they weren't as bad as the next season's one. Awful.
I was chuffed when he came in, 25 goals the previous season in L1, seemed like exactly the kind of player we should be going for to get us back up to the Premier League, and then he was awful. God, I hate that squad so much looking back on them; McCarthy was atrocious for us then went on to play for Palace in the Prem, Moutaouakil was apparently wanted by big clubs and managed about 5 good games before disappearing, Zheng looked decent in the Prem and then collapsed with everyone else in the Championship, Racon basically didn't play for a season and a half, Todorov predictably spent his time on the treatment table and I think we broke McLeod. The only thing you can say for that squad is they weren't as bad as the next season's one. Awful.
I don’t think the squad was the issue, I think the problem was the manager.
Worked hard enough but a massive disappointment and for me, represents the start of our decline post Premier League relegation to where we are now. A raft of similar players have followed. Top billing bit failed to match the hype. The fact that one of his best games came in a meaningless end of season versus Coventry just about sums it up.
Luke Varney for me represented the type of players we should have been signing, worked his bollocks off every game and provided some good memories for me primarily Southampton away when Semedo got sent off, Verney scampered down the right wing and clipped a beauty of a cross in for big Chris to head home in the last minute sending a lot of us there into full football factory mode, not to mention his performance and brace against the stripey nigel pricks from Surrey on a Friday night
If the rest of that squad worked half as hard as him we would have probably gone up, but too many of them phoned their performances in every single game or were physically past it. Didn't help us selling Andy Reid but Ambrose and Thomas were there in body only that season, and bringing in thatcher and Danny Mills who admitted himself he got sent off on purpose to have Christmas off rather than bringing in decent, hungry players like Varney
Funnily enough I was listening to an Ian Holloway podcast last week on Blackpool rise to the premier league. They brought Varney in on loan 2010 and he said he was a great guy in the dressing room in their promotion year. Apparently he was always playing jokes on the other players and had a real positive influence, though not enough to get a contract there.
Funnily enough I was listening to an Ian Holloway podcast last week on Blackpool rise to the premier league. They brought Varney in on loan 2010 and he said he was a great guy in the dressing room in their promotion year. Apparently he was always playing jokes on the other players and had a real positive influence, though not enough to get a contract there.
Know Blackpool were run on a proper shoe string but always found that such a bizarre signing.
I saw an article with him recently. He scored a goal for Quorn and scored it in front of the stand they erected with the funds he raised from his various transfers. They didn't name it after him though
Will always remember him for having an open goal to beat Burnley, deciding to dribble it closer rather than finish, and being unable to beat a defender acting as makeshift goalie
Remeber his two goals against Palace - one curled from the edge of the box, the other bundled home from 0.5 yards. Later in year the club showed the goal of the season on the big screen, "that screamer against Palace", but played the bundle home from half a yard !!
Fucking useless tbh, apart from that wonderful Friday evening against Palace under the lights at The Valley. Great night! Always put a shift in, but we were expecting a lot more from him.
He was let go to pay the £2M for the sacking of Pardew. He joined Derby on loan and and then a permanent move when the transfer window opened. Without 24 hrs of Varney going the Derby, they had sacked their manager and when Nigel Clough joined he wanted to send him back, but all the paperwork had been signed.
Funnily enough I was listening to an Ian Holloway podcast last week on Blackpool rise to the premier league. They brought Varney in on loan 2010 and he said he was a great guy in the dressing room in their promotion year. Apparently he was always playing jokes on the other players and had a real positive influence, though not enough to get a contract there.
What made that a strange move was that it was the season after their promotion year. He wasn't a reliable goalscorer in the Championship, never mind the Prem.
I was chuffed when he came in, 25 goals the previous season in L1, seemed like exactly the kind of player we should be going for to get us back up to the Premier League, and then he was awful. God, I hate that squad so much looking back on them; McCarthy was atrocious for us then went on to play for Palace in the Prem, Moutaouakil was apparently wanted by big clubs and managed about 5 good games before disappearing, Zheng looked decent in the Prem and then collapsed with everyone else in the Championship, Racon basically didn't play for a season and a half, Todorov predictably spent his time on the treatment table and I think we broke McLeod. The only thing you can say for that squad is they weren't as bad as the next season's one. Awful.
Iwelumo and Varney should have gotten us up with that team. Such a waste
Comments
Shame really, but that's what I have to do.
;o)
I believed we've missed Varney too.
Lost his confidence in front of goal - but never hid, and was always involved in everything we did going forward.
Always closed down and put defenders on the ball under pressure.
Came to the game late from as an amateur who had a job - always appreciated how lucky he was to be a Pro.
Spot on attitude.
Terrific engine and 10 out of 10 for effort.
a very crap route - they were working together too!
;-)
The fact that one of his best games came in a meaningless end of season versus Coventry just about sums it up.
If the rest of that squad worked half as hard as him we would have probably gone up, but too many of them phoned their performances in every single game or were physically past it. Didn't help us selling Andy Reid but Ambrose and Thomas were there in body only that season, and bringing in thatcher and Danny Mills who admitted himself he got sent off on purpose to have Christmas off rather than bringing in decent, hungry players like Varney
home from 0.5 yards. Later in year the club showed the goal of the season on the big screen, "that screamer against Palace", but played the bundle home from half a yard !!