Players we tried to sign...

[dwightschrute]

Always linked with Dzeko

Would've got 20 goals easy

 

[Geoff Nulty]

Interesting, I'd not heard that comment from Lee before. Were we that skint in 1980?

Just found this on Toffeeweb, from a 2003 interview with Lee:

"I remember at Everton I was looking for a second striker to play with Bob Latchford, and I went to watch Chester Reserves and a young boy called Ian Rush playing as an attacking midfielder.

"The next night, I was at Dumbarton and saw a raw striker called Graeme Sharpe. I went back to the chairman and told him that, paired together, they could be one of the most exciting partnerships in English football.

"Chester wanted £300,000 for Rush, so I signed Graeme for £80,000 because the board said I couldn't have them both."

It doesn't mention money, but maybe that can be inferred. Here's a link to the whole piece:

The Big Interview: Gordon Lee

Started in 1994, ToffeeWeb is the longest-running, most comprehensive and up-to-date Everton FC website around with a thriving community of Blues. The site provides an independent forum delivering unparalleled coverage of one of England's greatest football clubs to a global audience.

www.toffeeweb.com

 

[Daytripper]

David Hirst from Sheffield Wednesday

Kilnsmann before Tottenham (supposedly)

Alan Thompson from Bolton (Howard was sacked that summer and Thompson ended up at Celtic)

Joe Royle wanted Paul Merson at one point

Petr Cech from Sparta before Chelsea

Mart Poom from Derby

Bryan Robson from WBA

 

[daza_1973]

Chris Armstrong
Guy Whittingham
Ravanelli

 

[Brendan Janus]

Stan Collymore from Forest, but he chose The Shoite !

 

[MARK SMITH]

We scouted Alan Hansen, but in a game against Dundee United, he was playing against Andy Gray who was about 17 I think. The scout didn't think either of them stood out enough to go further.

 

[MARK SMITH]

I know it's a bit off topic, but does anyone know of any players scouted by Bill Shankly when he was working for us, whether we signed them or not. I know he went to watch Ian Wallace, not sure if he was at Coventry or before that, but definitely before he went to Forest.

 

[BornBlue76]

Scott Parker was my first real disappointment.. Moyes wouldn’t pay the agent fees is the story..would have been Everton through and through

Manny is my biggest heartbreak.. he just clicked with Arteta..

Other mentions:
Benega, Witsel, Dean Ashton, Moutinho

 

[Gilbert..]

Dean saunders. Only because kendall put a lot of work in to get him.

 

[Cameron Manning]

Bellamy

Down to Moyes, he didn’t fancy him for whatever reason.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

Bobby Robson in 77 on the manager side, sounds like it was done and dusted but we managed to step on our own [Poor language removed] - announced it publicly against Robson's explicit wishes and he backed out.

 

[Cameron Manning]

Archie Gemmill. If Catterick had succeeded in getting him he'd have improved us massively, but Brian Clough got him first.

I think Catterick got the nod off PNE but Clough went to Gemmill’s house and stayed there all night and persuaded Gemmill to change his mind.Unusual for Harry to lose out at that stage of his career.

 

[Cameron Manning]

I remember sitting in the stand at Chester in early 1980 thinking we should get that Ian Rush fella in, had an eye for goal that lad, Everton fan as well. Don't know what became of him.

Gordon Lee was the Everton manager at the time, if he had signed Rush he would have turned him into a full back!!

 

[Ivo]

Down to Moyes, he didn’t fancy him for whatever reason.

Yeah, didn't moyes try to set some rules, like what he could and couldn't do in his own time? Bellamy was like whaaat?

 

[jackyboy]

Mata
Giroud
Dzeko - specifically pre-City
Arshavin
Van Bommel
Scott Parker
Victor Obina

Remember wanting Van Bommel massively.