Fair enough. Although your blog (and Tim Carder's book) has him "on trial" with us rather than "on loan". Don't see what the difference is but that's probably where I got the idea he wasn't a loanee
Hmm... just checked on Wikipedia and this tells me that Sergei wasn't on loan but played for us as a non-contract player, however, it also says that Saints paid a fee for him. It doesn't say to whom though.
My memory is that he wasn't a loan player but it was more than 20 years ago
He wasn't a loanee - he was a free agent when he played for us
Have to agree with Keown although Brian Dear had a pretty awesome period with us; scored goals for fun. Steve Cotterill and Paul Moulden didn't do too badly either