Radford 72 Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Franky Vercauteren. How good a signing would this have been if Totten pulled it off in 1990? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aitchy Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 Interesting, how close did we come to signing him? Noticed a thread on P&B about players that have nearly signed, for example St Midden were on the verge of getting Ronaldinho in his younger days, and i think they were also linked with Bebeto. Has anyone got any good stories about Saints? Ive heard from a few people that once Paul Sturrock was at the club we had the oppurtunity to get Paul Scholes on loan, anyone else heard that? Also who was the Morrocan player that we were getting linked with after the world cup in France (1998)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slf Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 hes one of they dudes with a name ye canny forget.even though he didnae play for us 1990 eh ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUZZ Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 i mind being about 10 years old and going up to aberdeen for an away game and expecting him to play. dont quote me on this but did the programme that day not even have him down as playing for us? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford 72 Posted February 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 Interesting, how close did we come to signing him? Noticed a thread on P&B about players that have nearly signed, for example St Midden were on the verge of getting Ronaldinho in his younger days, and i think they were also linked with Bebeto. Has anyone got any good stories about Saints? Ive heard from a few people that once Paul Sturrock was at the club we had the oppurtunity to get Paul Scholes on loan, anyone else heard that? Also who was the Morrocan player that we were getting linked with after the world cup in France (1998)? He watched one of our games anyway. I'll look out the story later to try and refresh the old grey matter and that should be able to answer Muzz's question about whether Aberdeen was the game he watched. I'm not sure how much the Scholes story has grown arms and legs. I think that was Totten again but it went along the lines that he asked Ferguson about him and Sir Alex just had a chuckle and said not a chance! The Moroccan was Abdeljalil Hadda. Hibs were after him a few years later as well but they also missed out. Alex Ostlund is another we had on trial but didn't sign and he's since gone on to win over 20 caps for Sweden. He's mentioned in the Temple of Saints achive. I'm sure there's another story about us turning down Billy Bremner and we also tried to sign Peter Bonetti. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nairn Saint Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 We famously knocked-back Paul Sturrock when he came on trial at 14 years of age! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MUZZ Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 He watched one of our games anyway. I'll look out the story later to try and refresh the old grey matter and that should be able to answer Muzz's question about whether Aberdeen was the game he watched. he was meant to be signed in time for the aberdeen game if i recall. wouldve been a previous game to that he watched Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintkev Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 We famously knocked-back Paul Sturrock when he came on trial at 14 years of age! Because he had long hair and dirty boots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Peat Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 We famously knocked-back Paul Sturrock when he came on trial at 14 years of age! And also Alan Gilzean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Peat Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 Because he had long hair and dirty boots! Absolutely correct. The late Jackie Stewart was manager at that time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryangordon86 Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 was i dreaming or was there a wee rumour floating around a few years ago once linking us with the Russian Alexander Mostovoi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broon Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 was i dreaming or was there a wee rumour floating around a few years ago once linking us with the Russian Alexander Mostovoi? That was no rumour; Mostovoi was at McD and ready to sign on the dotted line until he realised he had to play alongside player X. The move then unfortunatley collapsed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulfulsaint Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 There was another dimension to the Frankie Vercauteren story "Born in Brussels, Frank Vercauteren spent his career as a left-sided midfielder who played 368 matches in 12 seasons for RSC Anderlecht, scoring 92 goals and winning the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1976 and 1978, and the UEFA Cup in 1983. He won Belgium's Player of the Year award in 1983, and also played for FC Nantes Atlantique and RWD Molenbeek, where he ended his career in 1993." When he was at Nantes he met and befriended Mo Johnson who recommended Scotland to him. It was through Johnson's old agent Bill McMurdo that he was touted as having signed for Saints. Knowing that lot I'm surprised he didn't show up an hour later in Dundee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulfulsaint Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 was i dreaming or was there a wee rumour floating around a few years ago once linking us with the Russian Alexander Mostovoi? To be fair to Radford I played a role in that one .OC told me that we had been offered an established East European player, according to the agent, the league and former teams mentioned Mostovoi was a potential candidate but OC never confirmed, and the deal never happened. But Radford did the background work, got his homework in early, and we all briefly fanatasised. Owen saw the posts and laughed but he did admit there was a shred of truth in the rumour although always accepted that Saints were an outside bet. He couldn't lace Sergei's boots anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumo the saintee Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 And also Alan Gilzean. Was Dennis "The Lawman" Law not another one we turned away as a kid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford 72 Posted February 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 When he was at Nantes he met and befriended Mo Johnson who recommended Scotland to him. It was through Johnson's old agent Bill McMurdo that he was touted as having signed for Saints. Knowing that lot I'm surprised he didn't show up an hour later in Dundee. I love links like that that bring these stories into place. I always wondered why a quality player like Franky boy even contemplated Saints. I'm sure Mostovoi is still an avatar of mine on some forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueheaven Posted February 21, 2007 Report Share Posted February 21, 2007 If it hasn't been mentioned already, Saints also gave a trial a few years ago to Nicolas Oudec who was an absolute goal machine for Nantes and also won a few caps playing up front for France in the mid 90s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aitchy Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Not really a football rumour this, but did anyone else hear the one about the gig Nirvana were going to be playing at McDiarmid, just after the stadium had been opened? Apparently the board didnt want the new stadium being ruined by "rebellious music types"(!) - so the council turned down the application for the gig. Any truth in this?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Zissou Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Not really a football rumour this, but did anyone else hear the one about the gig Nirvana were going to be playing at McDiarmid, just after the stadium had been opened? Apparently the board didnt want the new stadium being ruined by "rebellious music types"(!) - so the council turned down the application for the gig. Any truth in this?! Yeah, I recall hearing that when i was at school. I would strongly doubt there is any truth in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HertsSaintee Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Was Dennis "The Lawman" Law not another one we turned away as a kid? Never heard that one. Incidentally, "The Lawman" was a really good nickname for someone called "Law". Whoever thought that up was a genius. It certainly sounds better than Dennis "The Bin Man" Law, or Dennis "The Insurance Man" Law, or even Dennis "The Lilt Man" Law... I'll get back up the hill now... Herts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldsaintee Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 I've never heard the Nirvana story, but there were plans by the club to stage concerts at McD. I believe that the reason for this being turned down by the council was because of protests by local residents about the potential noise problems associated with rock concerts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Incidentally, "The Lawman" was a really good nickname for someone called "Law". Whoever thought that up was a genius. It certainly sounds better than Dennis "The Bin Man" Law, or Dennis "The Insurance Man" Law, or even Dennis "The Lilt Man" Law... Hey Herts, its a cool nickname! Nowadays he'd be Daza or Lawy or something even more original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willie Peat Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 Was Dennis "The Lawman" Law not another one we turned away as a kid? I don't think that there is any substance to this story. Denis Law went to Huddersfield Town straight from schools football in Aberdeen. I think it was one of his school teachers, a man called Tom Calder, who spotted his outstanding talent and as Calder was also a scout for Huddersfield had no hesitation in sending him there. However, I believe that Denis had an aunt and cousins who lived in the Perth area [Forgandenny I think] and this may have given rise to the Saints connection. But I bet Aberdeen were cursing themselves for not spotting him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford 72 Posted February 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 The following is taking from Bristling With Possibilities regarding Vercauteren... The board were keen to continue to build on their success and Alex Totten looked at the possibility of bringing another famous foreign player to Perth. Frankie Vercauteren, the ageing Belgian star, trained for a week before the 1-1 home game against Hibs in November, but on the morning of the game it was discovered that, despite his agent's claims to the contrary, he could bot be transferred as a free agent but would instead cost a fee. The move was off, but perhaps this was all to the good as Bert Paton, then Assistant Manager, had voiced his opinion that it would be a poor piece of business for Saints. Instead, a record £165,000 was spashed on Clydebank's John Davies, a small, ball-playing inside forward whom John Inglis described as, "the most naturally talented guy at the club." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Nairn Saint Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 I don't think that there is any substance to this story. Denis Law went to Huddersfield Town straight from schools football in Aberdeen. I think it was one of his school teachers, a man called Tom Calder, who spotted his outstanding talent and as Calder was also a scout for Huddersfield had no hesitation in sending him there. However, I believe that Denis had an aunt and cousins who lived in the Perth area [Forgandenny I think] and this may have given rise to the Saints connection. But I bet Aberdeen were cursing themselves for not spotting him! I met him a while back at a function at Ross County and asked him about his family connection with Scone! He never had any overtures from Saints or indeed any other Scottish side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.