Author Topic: Question of the day... (Read 3649 times)

The L J Monk · « on January 31, 2011, 11:38:03 am by The L J Monk »

As it's transfer deadline day and all the usual rumours like \"Hamilton Ricard spotted gettng out of a minubus at Deepdale\" are circulating, here's a poser to ponder:

In the history of the Premiership, can you name a Football League level striker, previously untried in the top tier, who a Premier League club have taken a chance on and who has proven to be prolific?

I can think of one...ever.

« **on:** January 31, 2011, 11:38:03 am »

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Ldr · « **Reply #1 on** January 31, 2011, 11:46:09 am by Ldr »

The L J Monk wrote:

Quote

As it's transfer deadline day and all the usual rumours like \"Hamilton Ricard spotted gettng out of a minubus at Deepdale\" are circulating, here's a poser to ponder:

In the history of the Premiership, can you name a Football League level striker, previously untried in the top tier, who a Premier League club have taken a chance on and who has proven to be prolific?

I can think of one...ever.

Andy Cole??? - Bristol City to Newcastle???

The L J Monk · « **Reply #2 on** January 31, 2011, 11:51:33 am by The L J Monk »

Nope - Cole got promoted with Newcastle in 1993.

Sheepskin Stu · « **Reply #3 on** January 31, 2011, 11:54:27 am by Sheepskin Stu »

Are we including the halcyon days of pre 1992 Sky Sports hyperbole?

Ldr · « **Reply #4 on** January 31, 2011, 11:56:36 am by Ldr »

The L J Monk wrote:

Quote

Nope - Cole got promoted with Newcastle in 1993.

Best I can come up with then is Dion Dublin, 100 + premier goals (Cambridge - Man United)

BillyStubbsTears · « **Reply #5 on** January 31, 2011, 11:57:09 am by BillyStubbsTears »

Depends how you define \"prolific\". If you're meaning a goal every other game, then I suspect that will never happen again. The days of the likes of Ian Wright, Ian Rush, Kerry Dixon etc being overlooked as kids by the top clubs and working their way up on sheer ability and hard work are finished for good.

I'd have thought that the nearest examples you've had in the last 15 years would be Kevin Davies and Chris Armstrong which kind of says it all.

There's Kevin Phillips, but I think he worked his way up to the top flight with Sunderland, rather than being bought by a top flight club from the lower divisions.

The L J Monk · « **Reply #6 on** January 31, 2011, 12:03:48 pm by The L J Monk »

I'd say prolific was probably about a ratio of 1 in 2-2.5, certainly under 1 in 3.

Era, Premiership formation - so from 1992 onwards.

Dion Dublin is a great shout. His record at the top level is pretty good, considering he was utilised as a centre-back some of the time.

So far we have:

1. Dion Dublin

Sheepskin Stu · « **Reply #7 on** January 31, 2011, 12:04:09 pm by Sheepskin Stu »

Has Beckford been \"prolific\" since his move to Everton?

DonnyNoel · « **Reply #8 on** January 31, 2011, 12:08:22 pm by DonnyNoel »

The L J Monk wrote:

Quote

I'd say prolific was probably about a ratio of 1 in 2-2.5, certainly under 1 in 3.

Era, Premiership formation - so from 1992 onwards.

Dion Dublin is a great shout. His record at the top level is pretty good, considering he was utilised as a centre-back some of the time.

So far we have:

1. Dion Dublin

I'd say even Dublin is questionable depending how you interpret the original question - Man U \"took the chance\" on him from Cambridge but he wasn't prolific for them, it was only when he left them that his form took off.

The L J Monk · « **Reply #9 on** January 31, 2011, 12:14:27 pm by The L J Monk »

3 in 18 for Beckford...not the best.

BST - Armstrong had a cracking first season - 15 in 35. But he got himself relegated so tough to form trend data. I'll put him down as a maybe. Davies, I rate him as one of the most effective strikers in the Premiership, but his goal to game ratio is poor.

So we have:

1. Dublin - now reclassified as iffy
2. Chris Armstrong - maybe

mutleyrover · « **Reply #10 on** January 31, 2011, 01:00:33 pm by mutleyrover »

Stan Collymore - Southend to Forest (Then Top Flight)

Was pretty prolific for forest prior to his move to Liverpool.

Ryan B · « **Reply #11 on** January 31, 2011, 01:19:38 pm by Ryan B »

Guy Whittingham?

The L J Monk · « **Reply #12 on** January 31, 2011, 01:22:44 pm by The L J Monk »

I was just about to declare you the winner Mutley, but then noticed Collymore signed for Forest in July 1993....by which time they had been relegated.

Guy Whittingham - Prolific for Pompey in the Football League, but only managed 5 in 25 for Villa in the Premiership.

Ldr · « **Reply #13 on** January 31, 2011, 01:31:14 pm by Ldr »

From Left Field, Marcus Stewart?

Ryan B · « **Reply #14 on** January 31, 2011, 01:34:44 pm by Ryan B »

Craig Bellamy

Ldr · « **Reply #15 on** January 31, 2011, 01:35:32 pm by Ldr »

Dean Holdsworth

DonnyNoel · « **Reply #16 on** January 31, 2011, 01:38:11 pm by DonnyNoel »

Ldr wrote:

Quote

From Left Field, Marcus Stewart?

I think Stewart was promoted into the Prem with Ipswich and carried on scoring with them?

I was going to bend the rules and class the Irish League as lower league and go for Kevin Doyle but Reading were at this level when they signed him. Certainly a tough one!

The L J Monk · « **Reply #17 on** January 31, 2011, 01:55:37 pm by The L J Monk »

Marcus Stewart - signed late on in Ipswich's promotion season.

Craig Bellamy - flirting around the 1 in 3 mark, if you remove his sub appearances. He doesn't instinctively strike me as \"prolific\", but certainly a statistical case could be made for him.

Dean Holdsworth - 58 goals in 148 games. Best one yet!

Akinfenwa · « **Reply #18 on** January 31, 2011, 03:50:33 pm by Akinfenwa »

Eidur Gudjohnsen - Bolton to Chelsea
Robbie Keane - Wolves to Coventry
Dean Ashton - Crewe to Norwich
Tim Cahill - Millwall to Everton
Darren Bent - Ipswich to Charlton

The L J Monk · « **Reply #19 on** January 31, 2011, 04:04:43 pm by The L J Monk »

Some great shouts there Akinfenwa:

Eidur Gudjohnsen - Formidable.
Robbie Keane - This was the only one I could think of
Dean Ashton - 22 in 49. Career cut short, promised great things. Prolific.
Tim Cahill - Averaging aorund 1 in 4, which for a midfielder is tremendous.
Darren Bent - Played for Ipswich in Premiership.

Ryan B · « **Reply #20 on** January 31, 2011, 04:56:30 pm by Ryan B »

Peter Crouch? - originally had a contract at spurs, but never made an appearance, fairly consistent, especially internationally

Efan Ekoku.

The L J Monk · « **Reply #21 on** January 31, 2011, 05:23:46 pm by The L J Monk »

At international level Crouch would be a cert, but at Premiership level he's a 1 in 4 man at best.

Ekoku - on the fringes. Around a 1 in 3 man.

Given we're talking about the entire history of the Premiership it's pretty slim pickings I'd say. If Billy for example was to move up a level, the odds on him being a big success in terms of goalscoring are very, very slim. Players like Stead and Nugent are prime examples of the apparent gulf in class.

Berkshire Rover · « **Reply #22 on** February 01, 2011, 07:28:15 am by Berkshire Rover »

Brian Deane?

Ryan B · « **Reply #23 on** February 01, 2011, 08:15:46 am by Ryan B »

John Hartson - 1 in 3 ratio thereabouts
Darren Huckerby - (had some good seasons)
Nathan Blake

and i'm out.

The L J Monk · « **Reply #24 on** February 01, 2011, 10:34:22 am by The L J Monk »

I'm pretty sure the original question wasn't \"can you name some reasonably capable strikers\" - I expect that might have been easier. Nonetheless, let's have a look at their stats, plus your others Rigo:

Nugent - 3 goals in 18 starts. Awful at the top level.
Stead - 14 goals in 63 starts and 21 sub appearances.
Nathan Ellington - scored 5 goals from 15 starts, 16 sub appearance in the top tier.
Steven Reid - 6 in 94
Marlon King - 12 in 48, having been promoted with Watford.
Jason Roberts - 30 in 129 - has been promoted into the Premiership twice.

Impressive. The most prolifically inaccurate answer yet.

Ryan: Hartson - Impressive record top flight. Not the best at Arsenal, but almost single handedly kept West Ham up, then continued to bang them in at Wimbledon.

Huckerby - around the one in four mark. Like many a player, spoiled his career by spending too long at Leeds.

Blake - scored for fun below Premeirship level, but top flight record was less impressive.

Savvy · « **Reply #25 on** February 01, 2011, 06:04:20 pm by Savvy »

Dave Kitson Cambridge to Reading! I remember the t**t torturing us at Cambridge one night!!!

The L J Monk · « **Reply #26 on** February 01, 2011, 06:28:44 pm by The L J Monk »

Savvy wrote:

Quote

Dave Kitson Cambridge to Reading! I remember the t**t torturing us at Cambridge one night!!!

Promoted with Reading. No dice.

But I agree he was a hell of a player at Cambridge and Reading.

big fat yorkshire pudding

DJ Campbell? He's not done too shabby.

Robert Earnshaw - didn't do too bad either.

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Author Topic: Question of the day... (Read 3649 times)