Worst Albion signing EVER

[drew]

Sigh... not this old chestnut again.

For a start, he cost £60,000, not expensive considering that we were in 2nd division at the time (the £100,000 would have been the maximum possible, depending on number of appearances). He didn't work out, mainly because he had some injury problems but he scored 4 goals in 15 starts for the Albion, which isn't too dreadful.

I don't know why there's such a myth about Farrington. There have been strikers with worse records: Justin Fashanu cost nearly twice as much and scored two goals in 16 appearances for example. Alan Biley cost a similar amount to Farrington and had a worse record, 8 goals in 34 starts, the same record as Alan Duffy who cost £10,000 (at a time when that was a lot of money) and scored his goals in a lower division.

I wouldn't have Farrington in my top 20 worse signings. As WW points out £150k for Turienzo was a shocker, Jason Peake was a shocker but I'd plump for Mickey Thomas as the worst,he cost £350,000 and just took the piss.

Even before your post, for Mickey Thomas. It wasn't that he was crap player but just the fact that most Albion fans at the time hated his cheating antics, when he was originally at Wrexham, then Manure and then Everton. It would be like the Albion signing Scott McGleish only it was 10 times worse.

Mateha Molango.

Not sure he ever played or signed for us. Check your spelling!!!!!

 

[Harty]

Gavin Hoyte.
Sam Williams.
Ashley Neal.

When it comes to loan signings Robster you are the winner.

Ashley Neal is the worst loan player to ever pull on an Albion shirt.

As for Thomas he clearly wasn't the full ticket, GE was told by a club insider, not The Insider, about when the Albion were paying Thomas's exes, ie hotel and petrol etc.

In the space of a month, he had allegedly left training in Hove at lunchtime and driven up to North Wales to have a cup of tea with his Mum and drove back, half a dozen times, the petrol receipts looked like a third world debt.

 

[glasfryn]

The Barry Lloyd thread reminded me of some very good signings he made. But I just cannot forget the terrible one's either.
I am sure we have had this thread before but who's the worst signing you can remember.

To start us off

Mark Farrington. £100,000 from Feynoord. replacement for John Byrne. Whoever scouted this guy needed their head examined.

first page, first post,and I agree entirely with this
we used to call him left side jonny as the whole attack came from the left.

 

[Mendoza]

£125,000 for Jake Wright seems a bit of wrong'un too

 

[ROSM]

Mark Farrington was bought initially to play behind a front two (the position he'd occupied in his spell abroad). We then sold both strikers (Byrne a few weeks into the season) and he was rushed back, unfit, to play as an out and out striker.

His goals per game ratio isn't too bad and when he did play in the correct position he looked quite good. But by then the damage was done both for him and us. The crowd were never going to give him a fair crack. His biggest crime was not being John Byrne or Mike Small (or perhaps stealing cars and property from players' lockers which is what happened when he played for Chester).

 

[brightonlass2009]

Graeme Smith.
How many goals did he let in during his 6 matches with us?
Somewhere in the 20s mark wasn't it?

 

[burrish-gull]

Willy Young or Frank Stapleton anyone?

 

[Return of the Rev]

cant forget cant forgive

Richard Tiltman.

I remember Barry Lloyd stating at the time that he was better than Dean Saunders!!

and he was serious,i think he had a brief to take us out that division:tosser a v#

 

[keaton]

Mark Farrington in the reserves scored one of the best goals i'd ever seen. From what I can remember he didn't seem unskilled just a bit lost positionally.

 

[RSBLUEANDWHITEARMY]

I know he was on a free, but 'THE HAWK' has to be up their.
Colin Hawkins, I will never forget that famous Stockport game

 

[mccraque]

interesting thread - is it fair to include players that were injured though? Or just those that were f***ing GASH?

What about Dirk Lehmen who fell over in the bath? Think he scored 1 in 7 - in the LDV trophy. Kitson, Dodd - crocks of shyte.

Shyte on the pitch though.

Farrington. Not least because he had Smalls shoes to fill. and the Feyenoord pedigree. He was absolute BOLLOCKS.

Interstingly - the first time I saw Mike Small play he missed an open goal in a pre season at Burgess Hill. thought he was a lump. But quickly realised I was wrong.

McLard was frustrating. Not by any means the worst signing. Just a porky layabout.

Dave Clarkson..the big summer signing from Sunshine Melbourne was none too clever either.


Anyone remember Shaun wilkinson too? No...thought as much.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Dave Clarkson..the big summer signing from Sunshine Melbourne was none too clever either.


.

I liked Clarkson. He wasn't that bad.

He also had a WELL FIT missus, who was an Aussie GYMNAST or something...

 

[cheshunt seagull]

For totally taking the p...s of the club: Mickey Thomas
As a tragic waste of limited financial resources: Turienzo
For total failure to resemble a professional footballer: Neal or Hilton

Also, given the quality of the team, particularly his strike partner, Maybank's signing seems a missed opportunity and deserves a mention IMO

 

[Tummy Burger]

I am glad I started this thread now. My research has I admit been zero, however I clearly remember at the time the club / news stated 100,000. Either way it was a massive signing for us at the time. What would that equate to now?. I am not whinging either. Correct me if I am wrong but Lloyd bought in gotsmanov , iovan, Byrne and small, not to mention many others on a no doubt poor budget. I remember shaking mr lloyds hand after the millwall play off away, think I was 14 at the time. I don't think I will ever forget that night, as much for the fact that I was cacking myself after the game. Lol

 

[Horsham Gull]

Hawkins

 

[Gwylan]

Farrington. Not least because he had Smalls shoes to fill.

I think that's the point. As I remember it and glad to see ROSM's memory supports this, Farriington was nowhere near as bad as the myth has it but because he was asked, unfairly, to fill Small's boots, this reputation as a poor player persists. I'm by no means claiming that he was an unappreciated gem - he wasn't - but there have been a lot, lot worse.

I sort of remembered one earlier. What was the name of the guy we bought from a non-league club for a fair amount of money, fighting off interest from other clubs? One of Mickey's signings, Geoff someone, he was here for some time and scarcely played a game. This was when we were in the bottom division and the likes of Dirk Lehmann and Danny Webb were getting a game, so he must have been bad.

 

[FamilyGuy]

Paul Kitson. Despite the fact that he had been a good player, during his time at the Albion he was what is commonly known in military circles as a waste of rations. It was sad that we didn't get to see the best of him, due largely to injury, it made you wonder who conducted his medical before he was invited to put pen to paper.

What he said!

 

[sams dad]

I think that's the point. As I remember it and glad to see ROSM's memory supports this, Farriington was nowhere near as bad as the myth has it but because he was asked, unfairly, to fill Small's boots, this reputation as a poor player persists. I'm by no means claiming that he was an unappreciated gem - he wasn't - but there have been a lot, lot worse.

I sort of remembered one earlier. What was the name of the guy we bought from a non-league club for a fair amount of money, fighting off interest from other clubs? One of Mickey's signings, Geoff someone, he was here for some time and scarcely played a game. This was when we were in the bottom division and the likes of Dirk Lehmann and Danny Webb were getting a game, so he must have been bad.

Geoff Pitcher?

 

[wigman]

Les Berry, Grant Horscroft .

 

[Gully]

Mark Farrington in the reserves scored one of the best goals i'd ever seen. From what I can remember he didn't seem unskilled just a bit lost positionally.

What, he got lost on the way to the bar and found himself on the pitch?