Players you were completely wrong about.

When Eric Winstanley as caretaker boss brought in Brian McCord & Mark Smith, I thought they were a breath of fresh air to a team which appeared to be on an unstoppable descent to the old Third Division. After impressing during their initial loan periods, both were brought in on a permanent basis, Smith first then McCord later on under Machin. Whilst Smith's excellent form continued, McCord was a pale shadow of the player we'd seen on loan.
I thought McCord would be a great signing for us, I was wrong. Just proves (as I've always admitted) I know nowt about football.

 

Sir Bobby for me too...

Also, and this one is a VERY slow burner, but I couldn't stand Hecy as a player for us, even getting in to a bit of an argument with a fellow red during a mauling at home to Norwich about his performances. Fast forward many years later, and I want to have the blokes babies...

 

A few of Revvie P's pearls of wisdom

All verbatim quotes to as far as I can recall and my mate Darrell (Spartacus on here) has reminded me of them often enough!

"I can't believe we've spent more on Bruce Dyer than we got for Andy Liddell. OK, he runs around a lot but fundamentally he couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo"

"Jon Walters will never make a professional footballer as long as there's a hole in his arse"

"If we get to start a match with Jon Macken and Daniel Nardiello up front, I'll do cartwheels down Oakwell Lane"

 

Even though we signed him as a midfield play maker?

 

Gary Jones (not the new Neil Redfearn)
Chris Lumsdon post loan
David Tuttle (never thought he could have been as bad as I always thought he was)

 

Although i never criticise individual players i think this comment is now valid as i am also now offering praise. I never really fancied Winnall, i thought ha was a half-decent league 1 player, and i kind of likened him to Andy Cole: that is that he needed 10 chances to score a goal (ish). However this lad has proved beyond doubt that he has talent and if he carries on at this rate will have a long and distinguished career in the championship, and perhaps beyond.

 

I thought we had lost the plot resigning hammill. After a his problems and how he had failed at other clubs I really didn't expect anything from him other than the odd 5 minute cameo appearance.....

Proves what I know.

 

Thought Mido wouldve been decent.
Vaz Te looked pretty lightweight when he arrived. Scored some goals though.
Thought Diego Leon was decent but then he scored that freekick.. and he just faded into nothing.

 

Steve Davis.

I think we signed him and Charlie Bishop to replace Carl Tiler. Started the following season (91/92) terribly. I think it took 2 years for the medics to sort out serious knee problem. When he returned to the side in 94/95 he was different class alongside Fleming and Taggart, and then De Zeeuw. One of the best, never shirked a 50/50, scored a few and a reliable player.

 

For his first few games I was convinced he was the worst player to pull on a Barnsley shirt, then he told Clarkie to f off one half time and started playing his own game, if memory serves me right I think it was Chesterfield away, then the rest is a
history that for me will never be matched, Higgy came close, might even have matched him if he'd stayed longer, nobody else before or since has come anywhere near.

 

Thought Dale Jennings was going to do really amazing things for us.
Also 20 plus a season man, Leroy Lita (what happened to him?) also who was that lazy winger come left midfielder that looked ace for Burnley I think we paid his contract up.

 

This is probably the worst case of being wrong about a player ever.

I thought Ronnie Glavin was rubbish in his first game, away at Lincoln I think. I changed my mind quite soon afterwards though.

 

Lol, you're excused. I think everyone who went that day at Lincoln thought Glavin was going to be rubbish. Turned into the best, most influential player ever to wear the shirt.

 

When Danny Wilson signed as a player for us his first 10-20 games were pretty horrendous, possibly as he was adjusting to playing in Div 2, after top flight.
After a bit players adjusted to his vision.

Garry O'Connor looked like we were signing a world beater, rather than a coke addict ... white lines

 

I remember

when we played Sunderland away in 2006/7 after getting promoted at the Millennium, I met up with an old Newcastle Polytechnic mate who's a Sunderland fan and after the match he picked out Sir Bobby as being the weakest player in our team. I don't recall him having a particularly bad game either, how wrong can you be?

 

I think you were right on that one mate. His goals kept us up that season.

 

Was convinced Maceo Rigters would be great for us after seeing him play for the Dutch in an international tournament a couple of summers before.

Think it was under 21's & he was top scorer.

What a waste of talent

 

All these years later I still suspect that Derby took so long to agree a permanent deal as they were scouring the streets for a Brian McCord lookalike, who they duly sent to Oakwell. It's possible that Sunderland did the same when they sold us "Chris Lumsdon", or at least a bloke who looked like the Chris Lumsdon we had on loan, minus any of the footballing ability.