indeedido
Well-known member
We also nearly signed Paul Mariner from Plymouth and Lawrie Cunningham from Orient about the same time. So your point is exactly what?They say we can learn lessons from history
Lets go back to 1976 - Big John was sadly finished and we needed a big centre forward to replace him to partner David Mills
Alan Willey and Malcolm Smith were not good enough for the top division. Alan Foggon was not a target man and had been found out.
We nearly signed Ray Hankin from Burnley (£185K) and Willy Pettigrew available from Motherwell for the same. Instead Jack signed Alf Wood for £5k or so from Millwall, a 30 plus bog standard Div 2 (Champ) forward. £185k was like £30m now.
Willy won 2 League cups with Dundee United in 1979 and 1981 and 5 caps for Scotland in 1976/7. He commanded a £120k fee when going to Hearts in 1981. His goal scoring record was very good in Scotland but he never played for the Old Firm or out of Scotland. He probably peaked in 1977. Probably would have been a poor to very average signing, best avoided.
Ray Hankin went to Leeds from Burnley in 1976 and did quite well there but missed quite a few games through injury. Leeds did sell him in 1980 for £300k to Vancover Whitecaps, counting inflation they at least got their money back, He did bring a bit of trouble with him. Went down hill after leaving Leeds. Probably would have been a reasonable signing, but difficult for John Neal to manage.
Of course we can spend and sign badly, but we could always spend and sign well too. I thought Scott and Wilder were supposed to be the bollox???