Weren’t we linked with a former big Brazilian name at one point?
Rivaldo, when he was 40, if I recall correctly.
Romario too in 1998/99, his Agent was hunting around trying to find a club for him
Remember an article in the programme talking about it, but Curbs said he wanted people who knew the Premier League... Although questioning my dates now as around that time he was still scoring for fun with Vasco da Gama and Flamengo
We also had Eric Wynalda and Dom Dwyer on trial (not at the same time obviously)
The latter and Johan Ter Horst only failed to sign because of some twat of an owner.
We were linked to James Scowcroft several times but nothing came of it. Another saga that dragged on for ages during our first PL season was John Aloisi, think he ended up at Coventry in the end.
Two that came up several times were James Beattie and Wes Brown, bit unlikely for me, but there seemed to be something in it.
I actually remember being not too fussed about Clarke-Harris at the time, as remembered his awful penalty miss when we thumped Rotherham 4-1 with Makienok and Gudmundsson running the show... He's done well to really improve as prior to 2018/19 he'd never gotten into double figures
Jason Puncheon was set to sign but we couldn’t afford it.
I know Pardew wanted Rickie Lambert before he went to Southampton but don’t know why that didn’t come off
Think there were a few on Powell's list we couldn't then afford who went on to do pretty well elsewhere if I remember rightly.
Off the top of my head, Keith Andrews, Alan Judge, Sam Baldock. I’m sure there were another couple.
Wasn't Yannick Bolasie for £250K one of them and Sone Aluko another? Plus a small ginger midfielder who's name escapes me but ended up having a decent career at somewhere like Hull?
(Ed. Stephen Quinn per post below)
Think Steve Sidwell was linked a couple of times too.
Remember Clement Lenglet (now at Barcelona) being linked under the early days of Roland
Think he turned us down actually so we did try as he was at Nancy at the time
Some French striker at the same time too wasn't there, powerful looking young lad who's surname started with B. Gawd, my memory for names is rubbish. 😂
Jason Puncheon was set to sign but we couldn’t afford it.
I know Pardew wanted Rickie Lambert before he went to Southampton but don’t know why that didn’t come off
Think there were a few on Powell's list we couldn't then afford who went on to do pretty well elsewhere if I remember rightly.
Off the top of my head, Keith Andrews, Alan Judge, Sam Baldock. I’m sure there were another couple.
Wasn't Yannick Bolasie for £250K one of them and Sone Aluko another? Plus a small ginger midfielder who's name escapes me but ended up having a decent career at somewhere like Hull?
Think Steve Sidwell was linked a couple of times too.
Remember Clement Lenglet (now at Barcelona) being linked under the early days of Roland
Think he turned us down actually so we did try as he was at Nancy at the time
Some French striker at the same time too wasn't there, powerful looking young lad who's surname started with B. Gawd, my memory for names is rubbish. 😂
Oh yes... Jean-Christophe Bahebeck @ PSG - Such a shame looking at how he's doing
Remember Clement Lenglet (now at Barcelona) being linked under the early days of Roland
Think he turned us down actually so we did try as he was at Nancy at the time
Was a whole summer under Roland where we went after a few young French talents , Lenglet was definitely one of them along with Jean-Phillipe Gbamin who's now at Everton but was at Lens then.
Was a striker too that summer called Tom De Sutter that got very close and we ended up with Makienok.
Remember Clement Lenglet (now at Barcelona) being linked under the early days of Roland
Think he turned us down actually so we did try as he was at Nancy at the time
Was a whole summer under Roland where we went after a few young French talents , Lenglet was definitely one of them along with Jean-Phillipe Gbamin who's now at Everton but was at Lens then.
Was a striker too that summer called Tom De Sutter that got very close and we ended up with Makienok.
To be taken with a pinch of salt but didnt Tommy say recently that he wanted to bring in Frenkie de Jong when he was @ Willem II but got over-ruled someone at the club?
Comments
Remember an article in the programme talking about it, but Curbs said he wanted people who knew the Premier League... Although questioning my dates now as around that time he was still scoring for fun with Vasco da Gama and Flamengo
We also had Eric Wynalda and Dom Dwyer on trial (not at the same time obviously)
The latter and Johan Ter Horst only failed to sign because of some twat of an owner.
Went on to have a pretty underwhelming career though.
Two that came up several times were James Beattie and Wes Brown, bit unlikely for me, but there seemed to be something in it.
I know Pardew wanted Rickie Lambert before he went to Southampton but don’t know why that didn’t come off
Think he turned us down actually so we did try as he was at Nancy at the time
Under Katrien we pretended to just miss out on Max Gradel and Jonson Clarke-Harris.
And this -https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/marcus-maddison-made-unreasonable-wage-demands-as-charlton-deal-broke-down/
Even though we were under a transfer embargo, it was actually his wage demands that scuppered the deal. Huge blessing in disguise in the end!
Wasn't Yannick Bolasie for £250K one of them and Sone Aluko another? Plus a small ginger midfielder who's name escapes me but ended up having a decent career at somewhere like Hull?
(Ed. Stephen Quinn per post below)
Think Steve Sidwell was linked a couple of times too.
Some French striker at the same time too wasn't there, powerful looking young lad who's surname started with B. Gawd, my memory for names is rubbish. 😂
(Ed . Bahebek per post below)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Quinn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Christophe_Bahebeck
Was a striker too that summer called Tom De Sutter that got very close and we ended up with Makienok.