Last Time We Had A WOW Signing

[rolymiller]

Alfie.

[Brin]

The heady days of Evans signing the likes of Becchio are long gone.

Tony Stewart was going full pelt at this at the time and gave Evans what he asked for to make RUFC a solid unit in order to maintain Championship status. The deal with Norwich was mind blowing at the time as Becchio was £18,000 a week. Tony Stewart funded his wage on £10,000 a week with Norwich meeting the other £8,000. Please don't ask me how I know these figures are legit, I just do and will not divulge how I found out.

When you think back to when that was, it was indeed a true marquee signing for us by our lowly football status. Other players were rumoured to be on £6,000 plus. Evans had his plans for retention but we know how it panned out. Unfortunately for the club, becchio got injured and had to return to Norwich for treatment. The biggest sting came to Tony Stewart when Norwich insisted that he'd got injured playing for us so he had to stump up the £10,000 a week up to the season end of Becchio's contract! I can se now after this episode and the farcical bad signing of Blackstock why TS no longer wishes to pay out for £10,000 a week wages. Fine lines indeed regarding Bechio as I thought with him in the side we were going places.

[flourbasher]

The biggest thing about Becchio was his ar5e.
I'm sure he had special xxxxL shorts on.
Probably got injured because he wasn't fit enough

[CASPER-64-FRANK]

Mark Robins,
ex Manchester United, Norwich, Leicester and others. Some fans were saying he was past it at the age of 31 when he signed for us, how wrong they were.
His goals fired us to promotion in 2001 and ensured survival the following season. A classic ' fox in the box ' and with Alan Lee a potent strkeforce.
Ronnie Moore certainly got the best out of him.

[Hazza Has A Gazza]

Don't laugh, Dexter Blackstock was a big signing at the time. A player who had spent his career scoring goals in the top two divisions. Pity he decided to take early retirement the minute he signed.

Peter Odemwingie seemed like a marquee signing at the time but turned out to be nothing special.

It seems the last 'wow' signing who actually lived up to his reputation was probably Mark Robins.
Alfie was an impressive signing but for me not a 'wow' signing as such.

[animallittle3]

Surely it has to be Ian Banks , with such a good footballing education the right side of Cortonwood and a hat trick against the best millers side ever on your own ground it beats the competition by a huge distance .

I even saw him knock one in for you guys in the last minute against Blackpool in the early 90's from 25 yards , stood in the Tivoli that day .

You were lucky to enjoy him .

Tongue firmly in cheek by the way before Mr Grumpy and co gives me the usual narrative .

[gkotw]

Surely it has to be Ian Banks , with such a good footballing education the right side of Cortonwood and a hat trick against the best millers side ever on your own ground it beats the competition by a huge distance .

I even saw him knock one in for you guys in the last minute against Blackpool in the early 90's from 25 yards , stood in the Tivoli that day .

You were lucky to enjoy him .

Tongue firmly in cheek by the way before Mr Grumpy and co gives me the usual narrative .

True story:

Early 90's one Tuesday, the Millers had a match that evening at Millmoor. It was teatime, about 5:30. Ian Banks walked into the chippy at St Johns Green, Kimmy Park (I know the ex owner very well).

Banks: "Can I have steak & kidney pie, chips, peas, gravy and some scraps open please mate. And a can of diet coke".

Owner: "No problem." Serves food. "Are you not playing tonight Banger?"

Banks (gob full of chips, and looking slightly bemused), "Yeah, course Im playing. Giz a couple of breadcakes please pal!"

[Brin]

True story:

Early 90's one Tuesday, the Millers had a match that evening at Millmoor. It was teatime, about 5:30. Ian Banks walked into the chippy at St Johns Green, Kimmy Park (I know the ex owner very well).

Banks: "Can I have steak & kidney pie, chips, peas, gravy and some scraps open please mate. And a can of diet coke".

Owner: "No problem." Serves food. "Are you not playing tonight Banger?"

Banks (gob full of chips, and looking slightly bemused), "Yeah, course Im playing. Giz a couple of breadcakes please pal!"

gkotw, great story! I’ve posted a similar story years ago but I’ll share it with you again.

The Millers were playing Scarborough away in a pre season friendly so my late Father in law and myself thought we’d go.

As we were walking up to the ground through the council estate, who comes towards us but Pyscho himself Guy Branston.

I said ‘Hi’ and he replies by asking me if I’d seen a chippy nearby. I said ‘Does that mean you’re not playing today?’
He says, ‘ Course I am but I’ve been told not while second half so I thought I’d get some grub’

I laughed and pointed out where the nearest chippie was and off he went. He certainly made us laugh as he walked away.

[gkotw]

gkotw, great story! I’ve posted a similar story years ago but I’ll share it with you again.

The Millers were playing Scarborough away in a pre season friendly so my late Father in law and myself thought we’d go.

As we were walking up to the ground through the council estate, who comes towards us but Pyscho himself Guy Branston.

I said ‘Hi’ and he replies by asking me if I’d seen a chippy nearby. I said ‘Does that mean you’re not playing today?’
He says, ‘ Course I am but I’ve been told not while second half so I thought I’d get some grub’

I laughed and pointed out where the nearest chippie was and off he went. He certainly made us laugh as he walked away.

Love it Brin. Old school footballers who were much more akin to us common folk 😁

[Brin]

Wonder what he ordered? 😂😂😂😂