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11 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

O'brien a signed for next to nowt and played more times than any defender between 01-04 other than Hughes. I'd say that was pretty decent value for money. 

But our defence was what held us back, Woodgate was trying to play as two CB's most of the time, he either had OB or Bramble next to him fucking things up.

 

And even worse Woody was mainly injured.

 

CB was probably what stopped us winning something.

 

 

Edited by ToonArmy1892

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I don't remember him being as error prone as that donkey Bramble, but I was only 10/11/12, could be wrong. Still think that's a decent return, particularly when you consider we got Des Hamilton from the same club for the same amount of money. 

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7 minutes ago, Yorkie said:

I don't remember him being as error prone as that donkey Bramble, but I was only 10/11/12, could be wrong. Still think that's a decent return, particularly when you consider we got Des Hamilton from the same club for the same amount of money. 

We must be about the same age.

 

He was better than Bramble like but he was average at best for me, we had a good team apart from central defence, Woodgate was class but was mainly injured so it was two from Bramble/OB/Caldwell most of the time, those three are lower half Prem standard, if that.

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36 minutes ago, ToonArmy1892 said:

...

 

CB was probably what stopped us winning something.

 

 

 

Agree with this. Defences was never NUFC's strong suit. NUFC seem to always have problem with defender in 90's to 2009. I remember in Robson era NUFC have a very decent (maybe even good) squad in midfield and attack, but defender...? NUFC only have Woodgate as good defender who most of the time spent his time at NUFC injured. Then NUFC sold him to Madrid. Other than Woodgate, the rest are just bang average defender. O'Brien, Hughes, Dabizas, and Warren Barton are decent defender but not world class. Bramble on the other hand.... well how I can put this onto word... disaster waiting to happen?

 

 

Edited by veriaqa

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6 hours ago, Yorkie said:

O'Brien was signed for next to nowt and played more times than any defender between 01-04 other than Hughes. I'd say that was pretty decent value for money. 

The main issue with AoB was that he was signed a couple of days after Shep was bragging that we could sign any defender in the world. 

 

Limited but dedicated pro, middle of the road signing. Big nose, scored against the Mackems

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Bellamy transformed us from a mid-table team into title contenders in one season. Sir Alex said later that we might well have won the league if he hadn't got injured with a couple of months to go. 

 

Beardsley had a similar effect when we signed him second time round. And of course he was a great signing first time too.

 

Lastly, Rob Lee. I'd seen him play for Charlton and I couldn't understand why no-one had snapped him up. A great all-round midfield player.

 

I can't see how Shearer can figure on this list. It was a world record fee, and the team went into decline after his signing. The Bellamy signing picked things up, but after he left we went downhill again. Shearer also played two seasons longer than he should, though that's not his fault. He became bigger than the club, to our ultimate detriment.

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7 hours ago, Yorkie said:

 

I feel like that's an answer to a slightly different question personally but it's a fair shout. The financial return on him and Ayoze is crazy. Carroll as well obviously, not that we bought him. 


I think even without the sell-on clause £2m was an insanely cheap fee. Was probably an £8-10m player but for the contract situation. Gouffran £400k as well wasn’t he? :lol:  
 

He was never great but to get 100 games or whatever out of a player in the Premier League & Championship for that fee is mental.

 

 

Edited by Optimistic Nut

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If I discount the free ones (maybe a different thread perhaps?) Then I have to echo the posts saying Rob Lee. Played all over midfield and up front on occasion. 

 

There have been some excellent ones over the years though, lots of my picks have been mentioned a lot already but the original Keegan era had some corkers. 

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6 hours ago, Sima said:

Rob Lee

Nobby Solano

Brian Kilcline

Paul Bracewell

Kevin Sheedy

Yohan Cabaye

Hatem Ben Arfa

Demba Ba

Solano is a good call...never understood why there was never a big bid for him from anyone

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8 hours ago, Yorkie said:

I don't remember him being as error prone as that donkey Bramble, but I was only 10/11/12, could be wrong. Still think that's a decent return, particularly when you consider we got Des Hamilton from the same club for the same amount of money. 


No, Bramble on his day was very good I would place behind Woodgate and Coloccini only when talking about 21st Century NUFC defenders ability.

 

He did make errors which were catastrophic but they were usually grouped together over a few games where he had just come back from injury and wasn’t really ready to play but the highlights would have only focused on the bad.

 

Closest comparison would be to how Stones had that blip last year.

 

Really his problems were similar to Woodgate - injuries.

 

whereas O’Brien was just mediocre cover who wasn’t expected to play as much as he did.

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