Ricardo Fuller, a genuinely talismanic striker in his prime. He came back to us right at the end of his career when his knees (I think) were shot but he was still a beast of a centre forward when fit enough to play. The serious injury he suffered when he trialed for us as a youngster was a sliding doors moment for the club.
Scored a stunner at home to Peterborough (I think?) as well, we won 1 nil.
Souleymane Diawara - described by Richard Murray, with more than a hint of a sneer, as “apparently the best centre half in the world you’ve never heard of” after he’d paid £3.7m for him.
Never thought he was given much of a chance to settle and only played 26 games (although that included 8 clean sheets). Went back to France, we made a loss, and went on to be transferred to Marseille for €7m two years later. Won the French cup 4 times, a record at the time.
Obviously he gets credit for the good times as well but a troubling amount of our current situation can be traced back to the ego trip Murray went on from the back end of Curbishley's time onward. I thought Diawara was rubbish for us but it definitely didn't help publicly shit talking the player you signed for the manager you hired
Danny Haynes sticks out for me as someone I remember being exciting to watch. Scored a couple of screamers and was lightening quick to the detriment of his hamstrings
Ricardo Fuller, a genuinely talismanic striker in his prime. He came back to us right at the end of his career when his knees (I think) were shot but he was still a beast of a centre forward when fit enough to play. The serious injury he suffered when he trialed for us as a youngster was a sliding doors moment for the club.
Scored a stunner at home to Peterborough (I think?) as well, we won 1 nil.
Not sure if it was that game but he scored a goal for us when he received the ball, turned and fired it in from about 25 yards out, absolute worldie, but immediately pulled up after hitting the ball as he'd pulled his hammy striking the ball. Pretty much summed it up for him, but what a strike.
Ricardo Fuller, a genuinely talismanic striker in his prime. He came back to us right at the end of his career when his knees (I think) were shot but he was still a beast of a centre forward when fit enough to play. The serious injury he suffered when he trialed for us as a youngster was a sliding doors moment for the club.
Ricardo Fuller, a genuinely talismanic striker in his prime. He came back to us right at the end of his career when his knees (I think) were shot but he was still a beast of a centre forward when fit enough to play. The serious injury he suffered when he trialed for us as a youngster was a sliding doors moment for the club.
Scored a stunner at home to Peterborough (I think?) as well, we won 1 nil.
Not sure if it was that game but he scored a goal for us when he received the ball, turned and fired it in from about 25 yards out, absolute worldie, but immediately pulled up after hitting the ball as he'd pulled his hammy striking the ball. Pretty much summed it up for him, but what a strike.
Yep it was Peterborough, turns out it was 2-0, Kermo grabbed another near the end.
Danny Haynes sticks out for me as someone I remember being exciting to watch. Scored a couple of screamers and was lightening quick to the detriment of his hamstrings
Good shout. He went through a phase of looking like an absolutely unplayable striker. Scored 3 in a row, got injured, came back and scored in his next two games including one of the best goals I've ever seen at The Valley but went off later that same game in tears because he'd pulled him hammy again. Came back, scored another goal of the season contender against Leicester, hung around for a hit longer before getting hurt again and then was moved on after that. He was playing with so much swagger that season when he was fit, it was such a shame.
Didn’t pull up any trees but liked him. Can’t remember the game but remember him coming on as second half sub and scored the winner with a header, I think shortly after entering the field of play.
I quite liked Luke Varney at the time. He wasn't great but he had something about him. Looked like he had the potential to score a lot of goals, but never did!
Andy Jones - never lived up to expectations, but I liked him as he always put a shift in
Jones for me as well. Always liked him, think the step up for him was too much too soon. He could have done with a season or 2 in the 2nd tier before playing in the top league. As you say, always put a shift in and never hid.
My regret with Diarra is we were so crap at the time we weren't able to play him in midfield all the time. I know he was older but he could have still dictated a game if he'd had better players around him, but unfortunately we needed him a centre back. One of those players I can't believe played for us.
I loved Martin Pringle. I was about 8 years old when he signed for us and you got a lot less coverage of football back then, so if you'd asked me I would have told you Charlton had unearthed a genius. I think he scored 3 goals in his first 6 games and that was enough for me to be convinced he was a god. He scored...fewer after that and I was surprised when I first started coming on here to see he wasn't viewed particularly positively. It made me take the regrettable step of looking at his stats but 8 year old me is still at the wheel on that one I'm afraid. Pringle was great.
I've also got a lot of time for Rob Hulse who I think was a hugely significant part of us getting enough form together to not get cut adrift in our first Championship season under Powell. Got called a donkey plenty on here at the time but him coming into the team coincided with us losing 1 game in 10 and meant we actually had someone to be on the pitch while Yann, Fuller and Haynes traded off injuries with each other. He wasn't a brilliant player but he worked his arse off, held the ball up and made us a more difficult team to play against. Before that Cardiff game we were in serious trouble and worrying for Powell's future, but by the end of his loan we were looking alright again.
I echo your thoughts about Martin Pringle. At a time where the internet was still starting out getting updates and info on the new signings was very limited, especially to a 10 year old. I remember watching the Match of the Day highlights and asking my dad who this new guy was. Plus he scored a early on and I had found my new favourite player. The next season I asked for the Yellow away shirt with Pringle 14 on the back.
I really liked Salim Kerkar when we had him cause although he was a bit crap, worked his nuts off on the pitch. Cedric Evina also comes to mind, was a great 2nd choice LB for when Wiggins was injured or needed a rest.
My regret with Diarra is we were so crap at the time we weren't able to play him in midfield all the time. I know he was older but he could have still dictated a game if he'd had better players around him, but unfortunately we needed him a centre back. One of those players I can't believe played for us.
I loved Martin Pringle. I was about 8 years old when he signed for us and you got a lot less coverage of football back then, so if you'd asked me I would have told you Charlton had unearthed a genius. I think he scored 3 goals in his first 6 games and that was enough for me to be convinced he was a god. He scored...fewer after that and I was surprised when I first started coming on here to see he wasn't viewed particularly positively. It made me take the regrettable step of looking at his stats but 8 year old me is still at the wheel on that one I'm afraid. Pringle was great.
I've also got a lot of time for Rob Hulse who I think was a hugely significant part of us getting enough form together to not get cut adrift in our first Championship season under Powell. Got called a donkey plenty on here at the time but him coming into the team coincided with us losing 1 game in 10 and meant we actually had someone to be on the pitch while Yann, Fuller and Haynes traded off injuries with each other. He wasn't a brilliant player but he worked his arse off, held the ball up and made us a more difficult team to play against. Before that Cardiff game we were in serious trouble and worrying for Powell's future, but by the end of his loan we were looking alright again.
I echo your thoughts about Martin Pringle. At a time where the internet was still starting out getting updates and info on the new signings was very limited, especially to a 10 year old. I remember watching the Match of the Day highlights and asking my dad who this new guy was. Plus he scored a early on and I had found my new favourite player. The next season I asked for the Yellow away shirt with Pringle 14 on the back.
I have a really vivid memory of watching highlights and the commentator saying 'great run, and a crisp finish' about a Pringle goal which I thought was the funniest thing ever
Ricardo Fuller, a genuinely talismanic striker in his prime. He came back to us right at the end of his career when his knees (I think) were shot but he was still a beast of a centre forward when fit enough to play. The serious injury he suffered when he trialed for us as a youngster was a sliding doors moment for the club.
Scored a stunner at home to Peterborough (I think?) as well, we won 1 nil.
Didn’t pull up any trees but liked him. Can’t remember the game but remember him coming on as second half sub and scored the winner with a header, I think shortly after entering the field of play.
came here post this.
Guaranteed to come on with 15 minutes left, defend a lead from up front and get a booking
+1 to the Martin Pringle club. Teenage me with my first ever season ticket with my step dad on a night game vs Wimbledon and I absolutely lost it when he scored that night. A really strong memory and a player that, despite not being with us for that long, I always think of fondly.
Aside from that, Conor Gallagher - that lad is class and it was easy to see even for the handful of games he played for us on loan. That goal against Derby is another good memory.
Andy Jones - never lived up to expectations, but I liked him as he always put a shift in
Jones for me as well. Always liked him, think the step up for him was too much too soon. He could have done with a season or 2 in the 2nd tier before playing in the top league. As you say, always put a shift in and never hid.
He always tried and remember a good headed goal at Maine Road ( where Morts ran half the length of the pitch with the ball to score ) .
I think the high fee paid for him laid heavily on him . I was at Boundary Park when he missed an open goal. Still have nightmares over that one.
So many from relatively recently for me, also some all time scapegoats or panned players. My favourite players over the years have included Rommedahl, Lloyd Sam, Buyens, Sarr, Bulot, Teixeira, Ajdarevic, Dervite and N'Guessan
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Workman like midfielder who would probably in this day would suit our midfield under Nathan Jones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD9NYYFDQlw
Kitson 2000
Dennis in the last minute 2004
Todorov 2007
One of his 3 goals, so made it count.
Victim of a bad injury and Pardew doing Pardew things in not knowing who, where and how to play the stockpile of players he collected.
Revered by Stoke fans...
Guaranteed to come on with 15 minutes left, defend a lead from up front and get a booking
Aside from that, Conor Gallagher - that lad is class and it was easy to see even for the handful of games he played for us on loan. That goal against Derby is another good memory.
Paul Hayes, was gutted when he was dropped but his replacement wasn't bad 😂
Todorov was another whom i liked.