We were considered a big club when he signed, having just been relegated from the Prem. Varney could not handle the expectations of signing for us. I heard that as he was about to sign his contract, his hand was visible shaking. The pressure was too much for him. I fear the same from another Crewe signing - Kirk.
I was chuffed when he came in, 25 goals the previous season in L1, seemed like exactly the kind of player we should be going for to get us back up to the Premier League, and then he was awful. God, I hate that squad so much looking back on them; McCarthy was atrocious for us then went on to play for Palace in the Prem, Moutaouakil was apparently wanted by big clubs and managed about 5 good games before disappearing, Zheng looked decent in the Prem and then collapsed with everyone else in the Championship, Racon basically didn't play for a season and a half, Todorov predictably spent his time on the treatment table and I think we broke McLeod. The only thing you can say for that squad is they weren't as bad as the next season's one. Awful.
My abiding memory of Varney is him being allowed to play against us in an evening match for Derby whilst he was technically being loaned out by us, which Derby won. I think it was 2-1 and was live on sky.
That was, from recollection during Parky's shocking winless caretaker dress rehearsal for the manager's job, which pretty much sealed our fate in that sickening season. I could never understand why we let that happen (varney play) when were already up against it. Varney gave a mercenary type interview after the match which only added to my despair.
I'm more realistic these days of course, I don't expect any different from players and looking back it was the club's fault allowing him to play. One of a number of baffling decisions at the arse end of the Murray era.
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That was, from recollection during Parky's shocking winless caretaker dress rehearsal for the manager's job, which pretty much sealed our fate in that sickening season. I could never understand why we let that happen (varney play) when were already up against it. Varney gave a mercenary type interview after the match which only added to my despair.
I'm more realistic these days of course, I don't expect any different from players and looking back it was the club's fault allowing him to play. One of a number of baffling decisions at the arse end of the Murray era.