'He's gonna be decent' to 'Who'?

[Monk]

Given how utterly miserable it is at the moment, let's have some nostalgia. 

You only get one vote and the game is simple, pick one player who on their initial performance/debut/early form had a bit about them and you thought/hoped would turn out to be a strong performer for Saints only to leave on a free two years later?

I remember a very decent performance from Jamie White one game in the Championship (I think) however, ultimate award goes to Leandre Griffit. Thought he'd be the new Henry. 

[Bad Wolf]

Josh Sims

Struggles to get a game at Ross County despite our fans insistence that he was the next Ronaldo. An example of our academy being the victim of it's own success - Ie should have let him go years earlier.

[Ivan Katalinic's 'tache]

I thought "former waiter" Frankie Bennett was going to be sensational with his lightning pace and that goal against Chelsea. That turned out not to be the case.

[Appy]

Wesley Hoedt, thought he looked class in his first couple of games, went well. 

[S-Clarke]

Gaston Ramirez

Everyone should remember 'that game against Villa', I think he scored in the following game against Everton as well.

But not much happened after that.

Edited 10 October, 2022 by S-Clarke

[LaptopSaint]

Do do do do do

Dexter Blackstock 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Ronne Ekelund. Not sure he meets the criteria, but him and Le Tiss together was a joy to watch

[Bad Wolf]

10 minutes ago, LaptopSaint said:

Do do do do do

Dexter Blackstock 

Great keeper

[Give it to Ron]

Second for Griffet watched him a lot in games at Staplewood. I was raving about him to bloke next to me when he came on as sub he then scored !

Surprised he didn’t kick on

[Lighthouse]

Boufal scored a worldie on what I think was his debut. He scored a couple more against Boro and West Brom, the problem was the year of nothingness between each one.

[Mr Saints]

Kamil Kosowski

[Turkish]

Steeeeeeeeeeeve De Ridder

First time i saw him he came on a a sub away at Leicester, he looked really exciting, quick, direct, and thought he'd be a decent player in the championship. After watching him two or three times more you realised pace was all he had. Plus he had that god awful "steeeeeeeeeeve" thing sung by bellends who thought it was hilarious.

[Wade Garrett]

Gabbiadini

[Midfield_General]

Nicky Banger. Hat trick on his debut in the league cup. Fair to say that was the highlight of his career. 

[Saintscummer]

I’ll go Danny Ings ( was he two seasons ? ). Thought he would stay and see career out 

[Turkish]

36 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Gaston Ramirez

Everyone should remember 'that game against Villa', I think he scored in the following game against Everton as well.

But not much happened after that.

He looked like the new Zinadine Zidane in that game, and the line “he clearly has talent, remember that Villa game” we down as the go to statement on here c2012-14.

IIRC his first season was okay but he got an injury, then Pochetino came in and he wasn’t hard working enough for him as hard working, pressing players became all the rage. 

[Whitey Grandad]

I liked him. But that means nothing.

[Yorkshire Saint]

David Speedie....

[Crab Lungs]

Yoann Folly.

[ErwinK1961]

Just now, Crab Lungs said:

Yoann Folly.

Beat me to it!

Bayern Munich friendly, looked like Makele MKII.

[RedArmy]

10 minutes ago, Turkish said:

He looked like the new Zinadine Zidane in that game, and the line “he clearly has talent, remember that Villa game” we down as the go to statement on here c2012-14.

IIRC his first season was okay but he got an injury, then Pochetino came in and he wasn’t hard working enough for him as hard working, pressing players became all the rage. 

I expect he was sold a dream by his agent of just one good season and you’ll get the move to Liverpool and neither of those things happened and he became disillusioned. 
 

Also didn’t help him that Davis was much better at playing the number 10 role than he was and then Poch started to prefer a 4-3-3 which didn’t suit him at all. 

 

[PartridgeA]

Sam Gallagher.  Beast in the youth set up 

[Colinjb]

Andrew Davies

Our player of the season in 07/08 having played only 12 games on loan, moved on to Stoke just as they got promoted to the PL.... and vanished from that level never to get near again thanks to Injury.

Best known for being part of the Bradford City side that went on to the league cup final.

[Convict Colony]

What..... no one has mentioned Saganowski ?

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

Tomasz Hajto for me. Came in and played the first half of the season in the championship, Polish international who was what we needed at right back with Dodd , Telfer and Nilsson all going.

Never worked for him particularly well (in hindsight Baird was probably the better option) and he went to Derby in January.

Since then he's had a manslaughter charge and played a few years in Poland. 

[Toussaint]

Some little upstart called Shearing or something, scored a hatrick against Arsenal when he was only 17, never to be heard of again.

[Pilchards]

Cosimo Sarli, thought he was going to be the bees knees plus another Ryan Seager.

[hypochondriac]

Who was that striker we had on lan in the championship? Think he light have been an Aussie. Scored a cracking curling goal and I thought he would be superb. Did absolutely nothing after that. 

[Bad Wolf]

13 minutes ago, Colinjb said:

Andrew Davies

Our player of the season in 07/08 having played only 12 games on loan, moved on to Stoke just as they got promoted to the PL.... and vanished from that level never to get near again thanks to Injury.

Best known for being part of the Bradford City side that went on to the league cup final.

Got our player of the season didn't he?

[Appy]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Who was that striker we had on lan in the championship? Think he light have been an Aussie. Scored a cracking curling goal and I thought he would be superb. Did absolutely nothing after that. 

Jordan Robertson?

[Bad Wolf]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Who was that striker we had on lan in the championship? Think he light have been an Aussie. Scored a cracking curling goal and I thought he would be superb. Did absolutely nothing after that. 

I think you're thinking of Jordan Robertson? Was then arrested for causing death by drink driving after leaving us.

[Pilchards]

24 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Who was that striker we had on lan in the championship? Think he light have been an Aussie. Scored a cracking curling goal and I thought he would be superb. Did absolutely nothing after that. 

I know who you are talking about.

Not the one mentioned above.

Had ginger hair, name totally escapes me.

 

Had to edit and add the names as I have done 3 posts.

 

Scott McDonald, Caleb Watts and Robbie Slater.

I was thinking of Scott McDonald.

Edited 10 October, 2022 by Pilchards

[hypochondriac]

5 minutes ago, Appy said:

Jordan Robertson?

That's the one no idea why I thought he was Australian. It may not have been his debut for us but otherwise it fits the description perfectly because that was a cracker of a goal and then he did nothing else. I thought he would be mustard. 

Edited 10 October, 2022 by hypochondriac

[Bad Wolf]

2 minutes ago, Pilchards said:

I know who you are talking about.

Not the one mentioned above.

Had ginger hair, name totally escapes me.

Tomaz Pekhart?

He scored the one goal for us (on his debut I think?) and did nothing else but it was more of a tap in.

[Bad Wolf]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

That's the one. It may not have been his debut for us but otherwise it fits the description perfectly because that was a cracker of a goal and then he did nothing else. I thought he would be mustard. 

No, I think it was his debut.

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

I think you're thinking of Jordan Robertson? Was then arrested for causing death by drink driving after leaving us.

dangerous driving i believe. Killed someone doing 120mph and playing with his ipod. ON christmas day as well.

[SuperSAINT]

Ali Dia 

[Tamesaint]

Tadanari Lee.

[Jeremy Corbyn]

Has anyone mentioned Elias?  Came to us as an 'underachiever', destoryed Newcastle and I thought we'd pulled off an incredible signing, faded off almost immediatly.

[Bad Wolf]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

dangerous driving i believe. Killed someone doing 120mph and playing with his ipod. ON christmas day as well.

Yes, I remember it being Christmas day. Absolute wank stain. Only got about 3 months inside or something silly didn't' he?

[Bad Wolf]

1 minute ago, Jeremy Corbyn said:

Has anyone mentioned Elias?  Came to us as an 'underachiever', destoryed Newcastle and I thought we'd pulled off an incredible signing, faded off almost immediatly.

This guy?

[Gurj]

Sheerin.

[influx]

Robbie Slater 

[Turkish]

Luis Boa Morte 

[ally_uk]

Jamie White plays for Infinity a team my mate founded 👍 

As for recent players I'd go with Gaston Ramirez or Boufal and even Osvaldo I thought all 3 were capable of better things. 

[Turkish]

Just now, ally_uk said:

Jamie White plays for Infinity a team my mate founded 👍 

As for recent players I'd go with Gaston Ramirez or Boufal and even Osvaldo I thought all 3 were capable of better things. 

Osvaldo was quality he was just a complete nutter. 

[SNSUN]

Alan Blayney - got a lot of praise when he first played in goal for us.

[Badger]

Steve Neville looked to have pace and a bit of skill when coming on in an old Division 2 match (74 or 75) as a sub. Not sure he ever featured much for us after though he did make a career in lower leagues (Exeter from recollection).

Osher Williams- looked a prospect as well but disappeared after a couple of run outs.

Keith Cassells -good debut v Liverpool , but crap after.

[revolution saint]

Surprised no one has mentioned Delgado yet.

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, revolution saint said:

Surprised no one has mentioned Delgado yet.

Except no one saw him play for 12 months or so after joining