Had a bad night's sleep, but since the Ross Barkley thread on whether opinions are should we do our best to keep him or maybe he will go divided I thought back in history of first team players or the old reserve team players - {not the youth players} who we let go in history who we let go, and paid a price!
Off the top of my head {please add or debate on what you think}
I came up with this list it's off the top of my head just instict-
TG Jones - froze out out of both teams, by coach Cliff Britton the first and the reserve for feigning injury undeservedly, almost sold to AS Roma but for a hiccup over currency mix up on value - returned after the dispute to play as he was a brilliant ball playing centre half { my late father told me}
Dave Hickson -
The Cannon Ball Kid - sold to soon with a massive campaign not to sell him to Huddersfield town ended up over the park where so many blues fans adorned him that night Anfield gates were boosted { my late Father was one blue of thousands in that crowd he scored two on his debut for the other lot!
he returned never the same impact as first time around ended up at Tranmere Rovers played for all three merseyside clubs.
Bobby Collins - The pocket Dynamo - On our 2nd attempt we signed this stocky goal scoring midfielder scottish international { who I just missed watching live} My late father and my older brothers hero as he came to a poor blues side, and transformed them with his size 4 boots, and his crunching tackles , and goal scoring tally - He pushed the blues to a respectful league placing then asked for a pay rise as captain manager the Catt asked new Chairman John Moores - NO way - collins had a smallholding in Ormskirk , and reared pigs as a hobby and to boost income allegedly asked the just for a sow pig - still NO was the answer- he moved to 2nd Division Leeds then in Division 2 sold cheap considered to be too old - what a clanger Collins under Revie gained instant promotion in his first season in the old Division one was the PFA player of the year - no doubt helped the successful dynasty of the LEEDS era to come even ended up as a coach there!
Alan Ball - Ball of Fire - Probably the best box to box midfielder free scoring midfielder ever to grace the Goodison turf - I have never seen anything like him since - He had everything bought for 110,000 from Blackpool -England international idolised by everyone - world class - the mysteriously sold for £220 ,000 to Arsenal in a cloud of mystery as he wanted to stay - rumours were rife blues fans cried - he went on to Arsenal/ Southampton to win honours - while the blues fell away!
The great side fell away!
Steve Mcmahon - I seen this lad playing in his youth in the first team, you could tell he was special as an attacking midfielder - sold very early in his career for big money to Vila diverting his way over the park to rub our noses in it in a successful Liverpool team.
David Johnson - Another young player came in as a lightning fast centre forward, looked a great no 9 but he was a bit unlucky as he hit the woodwork a lot so his goal tally was not as high as it should have been for us - sold to Ipswich with I think the pathetic no 9 Rod Belfitt coming the other way - johnson was soon snapped up by our rivals over the park where he blossomed scoring for fun - returning to us less than half the player he was for them!
Martin Keown - A bargain from Villa £1 million - a strong centre half gaining international status with us sold a few years later to Arsenal for the very same price no profit at all - where he won trophies with them became a top centre half for them and England!
Eric Dier - -considered by Manager David Moyes not that good did we have him on trial ?? now an England international and a very good Spurs side as defensive midfielder let go off our books for nothing!
Shkodran Mustafi - another trialist centre half who became an international on trial with David Moyes deemed to be not up to it - now Arsenal paid big money for him!
Please add more or debate please bear in mind the players had to make the old reserves team or as a mature player - no youth players unless the made it either in the old reserves or first team please, as many teams have let youth players go too early - us Baines Jags etc Man U Johnny Giles etc
