We spent over half of the money we got for selling Neil Redfearn on Robin Van Der Laan and Kevin Richardson - an alleged £200k on Richardson who was approaching his 36th birthday. We wouldn’t spend £200k on a 36 year old now - 24 years later!
I was quite excited about Van Der Laan. But he was injury prone and never looked 100% fit. Richardson was the experience we needed in the centre of the park… Did we sign Geoff Thomas at the same time?
The season afterwards I think,Richardson would have been good to have had around in the Premiership. Agree,Van der Laan was a shadow of the player he was, or wasn't happy. It was a dysfunctional dressing room under John Hendries management.
It was a strange time. Didn’t Tinkler leave the same season as Redfearn, so it was a straight swap. Richardson and Van Der Laan for Tinkler and Redfearn.
Van deer laan, I remember him scoring for us in a 3-1 win away at Fulham. It was my brothers first away game.
No, Tinkler stayed for ages after that. He played under Bassett, including in the playoffs if my memory serves me correctly. I bloody hated Tinkler.
And is it true that Redders asked for more, as he was near the end of his career. The sort of money that wasters like Tinkler was earning regularly and under performing ?. A heck of a lot of things dint work out that time unfortunately!.
Underachieved, and didn't exactly endear himself with the "I see Barnsley as a stepping stone" comment. Which might have been vaguely justified had he been anywhere near as good as he was in his own head.
Always remember JD telling me with a huge smile on his face, whenever he met up with chairman from Charlton. Him shouting at him you sold us Redders when you knew his knees had gone. Quality.
