2007

[Copps is Magic]

The most significant year for signings in the modern era? Context for today?

It started with the signing of a 26 year old Brian Stock in January. Sullivan joined in the middle of May then Hayter at the end. Woods in June. Greer and Wellens in July. And finally Mills in August.

They joined a team, that in the 06/07 season, finished 11th. Much like we're set to do now. A team that appeared to reaching the apex of it's capabilities but with a group of young/prime and talented players; Coppinger 25, Green 23, O'Connor 22, Heffernan 25, Roberts 28.

In other words, without those key additions its unlikely that talented group would have made the next step they did. What did it cost us in fees for those additions? About 500k more plus wages? Don't know exactly but food for thought in our current context maybe.

[NickDRFC]

Gordon Greer a key signing?!

Can’t see us signing players of the profile or ability of Wellens, Woods, Sulli, Hayter or Mills this summer but let’s live in hope!

[Copps is Magic]

I seem to remember he did alright for us in the games he played, which according to wikipedia, was 11 in the the league that season.

[Alan Southstand]

There’s one thing for sure, we can’t be signing ‘potential’, we need more than that this summer. How many we’ll get is anyone’s guess!

[drfchound]

Gordon Greer a key signing?!

Can’t see us signing players of the profile or ability of Wellens, Woods, Sulli, Hayter or Mills this summer but let’s live in hope!

You might as well query the signing of everyone else on the list Nick, except for Sullivan who was obviously an established pro.
Wellens,Woods,Hayter and Mills were hardly top end players and none of us knew how good they were going to be for us.

[RedJ]

Disagree. We all know there's no one greater than James Hayter.

[drfchound]

Disagree. We all know there's no one greater than James Hayter.

We do now RedJ.

[sedwardsdrfc]

I think it was well known that Wellens and Stock were quality, wasn't it?

[drfchound]

Stock wasn’t on Nicks list mate, Wellens and Mills played at their highest level with us and after they moved on.

[Bentley Bullet]

Some supporters thought Stock was a crap signing by a crap manager at first. Philistines!

Mind you We've still got 'em now!

[RoversAlias]

Hayter was a big signing at the time, a club record fee and signed from Bournemouth off the back of several years of consistent goalscoring. We put together a tremendous team that summer and I'd say it bears some comparison to what we need to do this summer. 3-5 quality signings would really push us on to the next level.

[drfchound]

Hatter was a big signing at the time, a club record fee and signed from Bournemouth off the back of several years of consistent goalscoring. We put together a tremendous team that summer and I'd say it bears some comparison to what we need to do this summer. 3-5 quality signings would really push us on to the next level.

RA, I agree that that they all turned out to be quality signings, probably they were part of our best ever team.

I didn’t recall that Hayter had done much before he joined us but looking at wiki,  yes he had had ten good years with Bournmouth.
He certainly wasn’t seen as a marquee signing though.

One of my fave all time Rovers player.

[NickDRFC]

Gordon Greer a key signing?!

Can’t see us signing players of the profile or ability of Wellens, Woods, Sulli, Hayter or Mills this summer but let’s live in hope!

You might as well query the signing of everyone else on the list Nick, except for Sullivan who was obviously an established pro.
Wellens,Woods,Hayter and Mills were hardly top end players and none of us knew how good they were going to be for us.

Stock I left off as he signed in January and I’m talking about summer signings.

Wellens had been player of the year and made the League One team of the year - he was widely renowned as one of the best midfielders in the league. Hayter had been very successful at Bournemouth and was a pretty high profile signing. Woods had (I believe) just been named Rotherham’s player of the season and had of course scored a spectacular goal against us at the KM. Mills was a highly rated England under 19 player - admittedly not as high profile a signing as the others.

All great players for us but also big signings and statements of intent at the time - as I said, can’t see us signing like that again this summer but I hope to be proven wrong.

[NickDRFC]

I seem to remember he did alright for us in the games he played, which according to wikipedia, was 11 in the the league that season.

True he did alright, and has shown since he's a top player and it's a shame that things didn't quite go his way for us, but I thought it was a bit of an odd inclusion in the list given how important every other player you mentioned was.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Point of fact. Stock was with us from Sept 2006. He signed on loan within hours of O’Driscoll taking the reins and made his debut in O’Driscoll’s first match, that never-to-be-remembered 0-0 at Huddersfield.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

It was a very exciting time. I remember setting up observation posts at the KM and Cantley Park to see who appeared next. Sulli, Hayter, Wellens, Mills were all big signings for us but sometime later I nearly wet myself when I saw Billy's car parked outside the KM.

[RoversAlias]

Hatter was a big signing at the time, a club record fee and signed from Bournemouth off the back of several years of consistent goalscoring. We put together a tremendous team that summer and I'd say it bears some comparison to what we need to do this summer. 3-5 quality signings would really push us on to the next level.

RA, I agree that that they all turned out to be quality signings, probably they were part of our best ever team.

I didn’t recall that Hayter had done much before he joined us but looking at wiki,  yes he had had ten good years with Bournmouth.
He certainly wasn’t seen as a marquee signing though.

One of my fave all time Rovers player.

He was seen as a marquee signing by me at least, I'm splitting hairs anyway. I absolutely love James Hayter and always will, he's easily in my top 3 all time favourites.

[besty]

Did we sign him the season after his record breaking hat-trick?

[Lesonthewest]

Point of fact. Stock was with us from Sept 2006. He signed on loan within hours of O’Driscoll taking the reins and made his debut in O’Driscoll’s first match, that never-to-be-remembered 0-0 at Huddersfield.

Don't know why I do BST but I remember that night, awful game but Stock was a calming influence in midfield that night, something like we need in the current side, would love to see him in this team.

[roversdude]

Thought Stock was brilliant whilst on loan but dipped after signing permanently for a good while. Came back to be one of our all time best

[GazLaz]

Those first games under SOD were the worst games of football I think I’ve ever watched. At least when we were useless at the end of the Richardson era we let the other side offer some entertainment and made them look good. The early SOD games were just dead.

[Alan Southstand]

The question is - will we ever get back to those heady days of eye-catching signings? For me, with the way we seem to want to run things at the Club, no, never. The best we can hope for is that DF can pull off a really good experienced signing, or two, in exactly the right position(s) for the rest of the squad to respond to. Sustainability and splashing the cash on marquee signings just don't go together, I'm afraid. Obviously, I hope there is a slight shift in philosophy this summer, but I'll not be holding my breath.

[silent majority]

And I think you're remembering things through rose tinted glasses, memory has a habit of playing tricks. What was considered to be a marquee signing then wouldn't appear so today. Those signings weren't eye catching then, they just proved to be astute.

[vaya]

The question is - will we ever get back to those heady days of eye-catching signings? For me, with the way we seem to want to run things at the Club, no, never. The best we can hope for is that DF can pull off a really good experienced signing, or two, in exactly the right position(s) for the rest of the squad to respond to. Sustainability and splashing the cash on marquee signings just don't go together, I'm afraid. Obviously, I hope there is a slight shift in philosophy this summer, but I'll not be holding my breath.

Didn't you tell everyone not to hold their breath about signing Whiteman?

[Alan Southstand]

Martin, memories are what they are, either good or bad. I know how I felt after the likes of Hayter, Mills and Welles signed and I’d be amazed if any true Rovers supporter felt any different. No tricks played, just pleasant memories of a great era in our history (and I go back a fair way, unfortunately).

[DonnyBazR0ver]

And I think you're remembering things through rose tinted glasses, memory has a habit of playing tricks. What was considered to be a marquee signing then wouldn't appear so today. Those signings weren't eye catching then, they just proved to be astute.

That's fair comment. We didn't know too much about those players before they arrived although Sod did with Stock, O'Connor and Hayter with the Bournemouth connection. We knew of Hayter's record hat-trick but he turned out to have more to his game than just goals and turned out to be well worth the money.   

Gareth Roberts was already here having a good lower league pedigree at Tranmere and Wales. We knew bugger all about Mills when he first arrived from Man City on loan.

Any number of signings we've had recently had just as much potential, and may do still if the ingredients are right.

[Chris Black come back]

Those first games under SOD were the worst games of football I think I’ve ever watched. At least when we were useless at the end of the Richardson era we let the other side offer some entertainment and made them look good. The early SOD games were just dead.

Real mixed bag. I remember v early game vs Bradford at Belle Vue that was an absolute humdinger but followed quickly by one of worst performances in living memory away at SKitsons.

[Copps is Magic]

Yous are missing Wellens who we definitely did know a lot about and was a big signing. Mills wasnt exactly unknown either, he came highly rated, and JR made a lot of fanfare at the time.

[swintonrover]

Rigo ate b*llocks because of how unexpected Wellens signing for us was.

[Copps is Magic]

Im not sure thats a reliable yardstick.