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Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:28 pm
by boyyanno
The thread about random games brought back some familiar names and got me thinking about players that you misjudge based on displays.
I'll start with the one that made me think of this: Steve Jones. After I saw him at home against Crewe I thought we had signed the real deal, but aside from a couple of good games he ended up being poor overall.
So my question is: For either good or bad reasons, who did you misjudge based on their initial displays for us, why, and how did they prove you wrong?
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:30 pm
by Vegas Claret
I thought Weghorst was going to be good
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:33 pm
by Burnley1989
I didn't rate Marney and David Jones at all at first and what a partnership they were.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:37 pm
by Nori1958
Joey Barton..... Didn't want him anywhere near our club
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:37 pm
by ClaretTony
Mitchell Thomas - he’d been awful against us for Luton in the previous season and was approaching 35. He was outstanding for us.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:38 pm
by claptrappers_union
Spending £200k on Graham Alexander was madness
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:40 pm
by Swizzlestick
Nori1958 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:37 pm
Joey Barton..... Didn't want him anywhere near our club
Yep same. Thought he’d upset the dressing room, too much baggage, didn’t want him anywhere near us. Just goes to show, sometimes those gambles pay off.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:40 pm
by Devils_Advocate
Jon Walters for me. Thought he was a terrible signing at the time but in the small glimpses we saw of him I have no doubt that but for his bad luck with injuries he would have gone on to become one of our all time greats.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:42 pm
by tiger76
Danny Drinkwater- thought he'd be a coup of a loan deal, how wrong was I.
Paul Stewart another who falls into that category, never scored for us did he.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:43 pm
by conyoviejo
Derek Scott.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:43 pm
by Quickenthetempo
I thought Josh Brownhill could shoot when he came here.
I was definitely wrong.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:44 pm
by Cleveleys_claret
Tony Phillipskirk, such a good player I felt at the time. Also Gareth Taylor of that era
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:44 pm
by Vino blanco
I remember when we signed Nick Pickering, I first thought he was crap. After watching him play a few times, I realised I was wrong, he was absolute crap.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:45 pm
by keith1879
We first saw what looked like a defensive midfield player / centre back in the mid to late 60s whom I thought was dreadfully clumsy ...my Dad agreed with me. Martin Dobson. My scouting career ended right there.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:47 pm
by KRBFC
Where do I start?
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:47 pm
by jedi_master
I thought Stephen Ward was rubbish before we signed him - ended up being the best left back I’ve ever seen play for us.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:48 pm
by keith1879
And at the risk of being controversial I would add Maxwell Cornet. Brilliant at first but by the end of the season I don't think he had won a single challenge and seemed like the ultimate luxury player. He can't leave quickly enough for me.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:58 pm
by Jakubs Tash
Jay Rodriguez. I thought he looked a bit too lightweight and couldn't really see what he offered when first breaking through and certainly couldn't see him progressing to anywhere near the levels that he did. I misjudged him so much that the season before he left he was just about the most complete striker I've seen at Burnley in my time watching the Clarets. I couldn't have been more wrong!
Also, another vote for Marney. When he first signed under Laws I thought he was just a headless chicken.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:07 pm
by clive40golf
Tony Hancock, Liam Robinson, both times Burnley splashed out big money (at the Time!) . Thought these were the guys to give us a big push up the leagues Watched both their home debuts and they were Shoite! Thing was. They didn’t get any better!
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:19 pm
by elwaclaret
conyoviejo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:43 pm
Derek Scott.
Absolutely loved Derek Scott as a kid. Remember the bemused silence for a few seconds as he flicked it over defender spin around his man and hit a volley into the roof of the net at the Cricketfield end. For a time his main drawback was that he was so versatile and often couldn’t make the shirt/position his own for filling in where needed… I could never understand some of the comments in the crowd about him and it came as no surprise (but a big disappointment) when Bolton took him.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:21 pm
by elwaclaret
Cleveleys_claret wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:44 pm
Tony Phillipskirk, such a good player I felt at the time. Also Gareth Taylor of that era
Gareth Taylor? He was lethal for us, agree TP never lived up to his billing.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:21 pm
by PaintYorkClaretnBlue
Devils_Advocate wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:40 pm
Jon Walters for me. Thought he was a terrible signing at the time but in the small glimpses we saw of him I have no doubt that but for his bad luck with injuries he would have gone on to become one of our all time greats.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:23 pm
by littlemissclaret
Danny Ings
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:28 pm
by elwaclaret
Steve Daley, Graham Baker and Gerry Gow at their prime were all players I wished to see in a Burnley shirt, at one time, watching them as a kid…
They spring to mind but there are dozens if not more raspberries with reputations, but it would end up a long list.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:31 pm
by gandhisflipflop
I’ll always remember my mate at the time going on a massive rant during a game about joey gudjonsson. He couldn’t have timed it better. “He offers absolutely nothing”
The game? Home to Preston....
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:33 pm
by ClaretTony
gandhisflipflop wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:31 pm
I’ll always remember my mate at the time going on a massive rant during a game about joey gudjonsson. He couldn’t have timed it better. “He offers absolutely nothing”
The game? Home to Preston....
And that was some shot. He’d scored with a header in the previous game at Swansea.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:37 pm
by Pearcey
I thought Matty O’Neill was going to be quality. Think I must’ve just liked his throw ins!
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:43 pm
by bfcjg
I was hoping against hope that when we signed Gascoigne he would drastically improve on the shambling third rate unfit performances he was putting in for Everton,.....it's the hope that kills you.
When we signed Wright I thought he was just here for a pay day and wouldn't fit in, glad I was so wrong.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:51 pm
by claretbob
As has been previously mentioned Mark Ford looked an incredible signing when Waddle persuaded him to drop down two divisions. In the end I’m not sure if dropping three divisions would have made a difference he was that ineffectual. A complete waste of space.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:56 pm
by Conroy92
I'll go for a a bit of a strange one.
Remember watching England under 21's Vs Albania under 21's at the turf some years back. A certain player stood out that night for Albania, he scored and saw a shot rocket back off the bar. Off the back of that performance Cotterill brought him in and to be honest I was excited and thought he'd be a great addition. We never really saw him again bar the odd friendly. Obviously something was amiss although he went on to break records in the Australian League. He just must not have been up to the standard here.
Step forward Besart Berisha.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 6:08 pm
by Culmclaret
elwaclaret wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:19 pm
Absolutely loved Derek Scott as a kid. Remember the bemused silence for a few seconds as he flicked it over defender spin around his man and hit a volley into the roof of the net at the Cricketfield end. For a time his main drawback was that he was so versatile and often couldn’t make the shirt/position his own for filling in where needed… I could never understand some of the comments in the crowd about him and it came as no surprise (but a big disappointment) when Bolton took him.
That was a real Zico Scottie goal. It was utterly astonishing. It was the third goal in the 3-0 drubbing of Portsmouth in 81/82. From memory, and I doubt whether there was any film of this match, it was a right wing throw by Laws and Scottie just did the rest. The second goal from Phelan was a real cracker too. He started and finished a brilliant team move.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:17 pm
by timshorts
John Flanagan. I thought that he was just another completely overrated piece of scouse rubbish that was made to look like a footballer because he was playing on a half decent team, but then, just for one day only came Palace away and he marked their best player out of the game.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:25 pm
by FeedTheArf
Remember going away to Morecambe in pre-season to see some guy who couldn’t even make it at Huddersfield on the team sheet.
Scotty Arfield became my favourite player and I STILL maintain we should bring him back!
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:28 pm
by FeedTheArf
ClaretTony wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 4:37 pm
Mitchell Thomas - he’d been awful against us for Luton in the previous season and was approaching 35. He was outstanding for us.
Great wasn’t he. Much like McGreal, he couldn’t really run by the time we signed him but he didn’t need to be fast because his positioning was so good.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:32 pm
by Jambounchained
Danny Ings
Matty O’Neill
Gazza
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:37 pm
by Nonayforever
I remember the evening game that Robbie Blake made his debut as a sub.
I'd heard a few good rumours but never saw him play.
When he came on , I thought omg, he's only 4'-10" and his shorts were below his knees.
As a forward I was expecting a big strapping lad, but how my first impression was quickly quashed and my expectation exceeded.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:53 pm
by fungus_the_bogeyman
Agreed on Mitchell Thomas. I thought he was going to be one of Stan’s bench warmers/“good for the dressing room” types like Ronnie Jepson and Tony Ellis, but he was superb and was first on the team sheet when fit. Massively influential in our promotion season.
Two more from the Waddle era as well as Ford who I thought were going to be decent: Steve Blatherwick and Michael Williams.
From the youths, I remember thinking Anthony Shandran and Brad Maylett were going to turn out to be players…
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:56 pm
by fungus_the_bogeyman
Gareth Taylor would be a good one for someone who totally exceeded expectations. Still one of the best headers of a ball I’ve seen at Burnley.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:06 pm
by Greenmile
Conroy92 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:56 pm
I'll go for a a bit of a strange one.
Remember watching England under 21's Vs Albania under 21's at the turf some years back. A certain player stood out that night for Albania, he scored and saw a shot rocket back off the bar. Off the back of that performance Cotterill brought him in and to be honest I was excited and thought he'd be a great addition. We never really saw him again bar the odd friendly. Obviously something was amiss although he went on to break records in the Australian League. He just must not have been up to the standard here.
Step forward Besart Berisha.
You’ve beaten me to it here. Berisha was sensational for Albania at the Turf, and from memory it was against a pretty decent England B side, not the under 21s (a match staged to get Michael Owen fit for a summer tournament??). I was delighted when I heard we’d signed him, but can’t remember him doing anything in a Burnley shirt.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:11 pm
by jdrobbo
Sam Vokes
I thought he was ok to good whilst on loan. I was pretty happy with him signing.
When he made Burnley his home, he became a colossus!
An absolutely unbelievable player AND partner to play with for a number of forwards.
Mountain!!
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:15 pm
by Fretters
Greenmile wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:06 pm
You’ve beaten me to it here. Berisha was sensational for Albania at the Turf, and from memory it was against a pretty decent England B side, not the under 21s (a match staged to get Michael Owen fit for a summer tournament??). I was delighted when I heard we’d signed him, but can’t remember him doing anything in a Burnley shirt.
He became a victim to the spate of ACL injuries we had around that time. Cotts definitely would have played him if it wasn't for that, it was a big shame.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:29 pm
by dandeclaret
Wade Elliott.... spent a season receiving the ball and turning it back to the full back, not committing anybody...... then change of manager, and probably the best crosser of a ball I've ever seen at Burnley.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:35 pm
by ksrclaret
dandeclaret wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:29 pm
Wade Elliott.... spent a season receiving the ball and turning it back to the full back, not committing anybody...... then change of manager, and probably the best crosser of a ball I've ever seen at Burnley.
Wade showed his quality long before the change of manager. Wasn't he the player of the year in 2006-07?
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:38 pm
by ElectroClaret
jdrobbo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:11 pm
Sam Vokes
I thought he was ok to good whilst on loan. I was pretty happy with him signing.
When he made Burnley his home, he became a colossus!
An absolutely unbelievable player AND partner to play with for a number of forwards.
Mountain!!
And someone above mentions Gareth Taylor. He and SV we're two of the greatest headers of
the ball for us in recent decades.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:39 pm
by Im_not_Robbie_Blake
Mr P Gascoigne
I also misjudged myself!
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 10:23 pm
by JohnDearyMe
timshorts wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:17 pm
John Flanagan. I thought that he was just another completely overrated piece of scouse rubbish that was made to look like a footballer because he was playing on a half decent team, but then, just for one day only came Palace away and he marked their best player out of the game.
He was great at Palace (think it might have been Tarkowski's debut as well?). As poor as he was i vaguely remember him doing ok in the 0-0 draw at Old Trafford that season
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 10:25 pm
by Cleveleys_claret
elwaclaret wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:21 pm
Gareth Taylor? He was lethal for us, agree TP never lived up to his billing.
Yes I meant I expected G.Taylor as someone who could just head it, but there was do much more yo his game
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 10:32 pm
by Darthlaw
I remember saying to my boss about Ashley Barnes first few games in the PL that he would never be a PL quality striker, as long as I had a hole in my arse.
Oops.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 10:35 pm
by fidelcastro
Darthlaw wrote: ↑Mon Jul 04, 2022 10:32 pm
I remember saying to my boss about Ashley Barnes first few games in the PL that he would never be a PL quality striker, as long as I had a hole in my arse.
Oops.
And you were right first time.
Re: Players you misjudged
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 10:48 pm
by the_fat_shearer
I thought Alan Mahon would be great for us. Thought he was a quality player when he played against us. Admittedly, he was played out of position for us on the left wing too often but I was expecting so much my more than we saw.
