[Albion] The Albion transfers that never happened.

[Lenny Rider]

Bear with me on this but I awoke this morning thinking about the late Tony Millard.

Was sorting some stuff out last night and found a flyer for the first ever Gulls Eye Dinner at Chapmans in early 1989, we even had a bomb scare, rumoured to be a 'tired and emotional' Greg Stanley from the bar of the Blue Peter in Angmering.

Millard spoke that night, as did Vinners and John Lees, all very interesting, but Tony's especially as he touched upon two potential transfers which didn't go through in the 1979/80 season and highlighted the emerging fractious relationship between Mike Bamber and Alan Mullery.

Mullers wanted what were back then minimal funds to sign two players, Mullery and his scouting team had watched both a number of times and felt they were both exactly what Albion needed to establish themselves as something more than relegation fodder in the top flight.

The first was a young midfielder from Bolton Wanderers named Peter Reid, the second a young striker from Newport County, John Aldridge.

Despite not watching them himself, Bamber effectively stated "they weren't all that" and scuppered the deals by refusing to release the funds.

Within a decade both players would start in World Cup Quarter Finals.

Any others spring to mind?

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Well, we have done the Wright and Keane non deals to death.
But one snippet involving a coach was that Melia invited his old mate John Manning (ex Tranmere) down for a few weeks as prospective first team coach in the summer preceding the 1983/4 season before he was unceremoniously ousted before the season even started. No loss I think but not sure if many knew about that one.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Andrei Kanchelskis

 

[Bald Gull]

In recent times, Virgil Van Dijk is I guess the most high profile that nearly came off but didn't. I have a horrible feeling we could be saying the same about Darwin Nunez in a few years' time...

 

[Rogero]

Kevin Brock was a big rumour back in the day.

 

[Dunk&Disorderly]

Caciedo's long drawn out arrival reminded me of the 2 failed medicals we had in one window a few years back that felt so disheartening at the time.

Renato Neto: Apparently we'd been tracking him for 3 years, due to buy him for (at the time) a record fee. Knee issue found in the medical, transfer cancelled and Neto now plays in Belgian tier 2 team, Deinze and struggles with injury issues.

Raphael Dwamena: The £10m move collapsed after Brighton identified a heart condition during the medical. Since then he had a heart reading chip inserted and moved to Levante (La Liga), followed by Vejle Boldklub (Danish Superliga). Recently he had to withdraw from the team because of further complications detected.

Real shame for the players, excellent medical screening from our team.

 

[Rogero]

Peter Reid another.

 

[Frankworthington]

Ray Houghton who went on to play for Liverpool and Ireland in the 1994 World cup.

We tried to sign him from Fulham but would not pay a signing-on fee!

 

[Rugrat]

Michael Owen

 

[elwheelio]

Andrei Kanchelskis

Any day now

 

[Bozza]

Andrei Kanchelskis

That deal is not dead - keep the faith.

And when the deal is finally done, which it surely will, the cliched press release inclusion of "He's a player we've been aware of, and tracking, for some time..." will never be more true.

 

[Kosh]

Now, this is ground breaking mind - so, you might want to sit down:

*Draws breath...

Dramatic pause.

I was present, as a 13 year old (or thereabouts), at Hartlepool vs Brighton when Valur Gislason (he of Arsenal at the time, ahem) played for us on loan (obviously), and I managed to get into the players lounge after the game as my dad worked with the then Hartlepool club doctor ... anyway, and here’s the crux: I remember overhearing two senior members of the Albion board (who were both present that afternoon) having a chat re wanting to sign Gislason permanently, which we were keen to do - to which one of, or perchance the most senior (for it was he) quipped: “we couldn’t ‘afjord’ him mate...”

True ****ing story.

Mic drop, exit stage left.

*high fives perplexed theatre staff, gets into Nova boot circa ‘98 and crashes straight into a lamp post. Sits head in hands crying.

The rest is history.

Bullet dodged or just nonsensical banter? Or was he another ‘legend’ who got away... the paths we tread hmmmm

Sins, omissions, such regrets.

 

[macky]

Richard Money Was another

 

[A1X]

Stephen Ward

 

[drew]

Kevin Brock was a big rumour back in the day.

Think he came out with some comment like 'why would I join a club like Brighton?'

Seem to recall he got a lot of stick for that that as he was at Oxford (or went to Oxford).


Think we were after Peter Beagrie at one point and, going back further, seeking to sign John Lacy from Fulham but he opted for Spurs!

 

[lawros left foot]

Post # 14 and nobody yet mentioned the longest running transfer rumour in the history of NSC.

I give you,


Jonathon Calleri



#holdthenerve

 

[nwgull]

In recent times, Virgil Van Dijk is I guess the most high profile that nearly came off but didn't. I have a horrible feeling we could be saying the same about Darwin Nunez in a few years' time...

Upson was an excellent loan, but I often wonder how 12/13 would have panned out if we'd been able to sign VVD instead.

Darwin Nunez only has 4 goals in 17 league matches for Benfica against inferior defences to those that he'd have faced in the PL, so not sure he'll be seen as one that got away in future years. Still only 21 mind.

 

[elwheelio]

Stephen Ward

It still irks me that we didn't get him signed. He was superb for us.

 

[elwheelio]

On a more positive note, one transfer which thankfully didn't happen was Calde to Southampton. It seemed very much on the cards at one point and Poyet even said that he wouldn't play for us again. Thankfully, as with a number of things, Poyet was wrong.

 

[Shirty]

Alex Pritchard must be the most recent example. Bullet dodged methinks.