Marlon in the Champions League

[Chris Jameson]

You're over thinking it again, he was bought as a backup striker, another big man to cover Carew. He accepted his role without complaint.

I bet he also allowed himself a little chuckle each time he looked at his bank account as well.

[SoccerHQ]

For all his ineptness I still raise a smile thinking about watching us v Liverpool in the SU bar and that half second of silence when people were working out who had actually just scored that overhead kick goal! Shame Heskey hasn't contributed anything as memorable at least.

Good luck Marlon.

[garyshawsknee]

Didnt we pip Wigan to sign him?? That was an early worrying sign. Good luck to him though,least he never caused any unreast in the dressing room.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I shall remember him for two fantastic moments:

His goal and Anfield and his celebration at Wrexham when he scored against them in the League Cup !!!

[Risso]

You're over thinking it again, he was bought as a backup striker, another big man to cover Carew. He accepted his role without complaint.

When O'Neill bought him he said he wanted to get Harewood back to the form when he scored 16 goals in a season for West Ham.  A huge, very costly failure all round.  The best part of £10m of Randy's money pissed up the wall.

[hawkeye]

Harewood is just one in the long list of our Martins transfer fuck ups in fact you can put a team together from them
Carson
Beye
Knight
Davies
Shorey
Sidwell
Downing
Routledge
Salifou
Harewood
Heskey
 now that is a relegation team, even worse than DOL put out-

[Ads]

I think you’re labouring your point.

[Concrete John]

You can make a case for not being able to sign better than the likes of Knight, Harewood et al back in 2007 after our previous campaign.

Personally I don't buy it, as we were able to attract far better players than that during far darker times for the club.

Go on then - name them!

EDIT:  only one I can think of is Savo, signed the summer after we nearly went down in 1995.  I'll give you him.

[JUAN PABLO]

Harewood was the first signing when I first realised MON was not the dogs bollocks after all..

[KevinGage]

You can make a case for not being able to sign better than the likes of Knight, Harewood et al back in 2007 after our previous campaign.

Personally I don't buy it, as we were able to attract far better players than that during far darker times for the club.

Go on then - name them!

EDIT:  only one I can think of is Savo, signed the summer after we nearly went down in 1995.  I'll give you him.

OK John! No Problem!!!

Rambo, Keown and Elliott signed at a time when we looked well and truly on a downward spiral. Platt and Chris Price soon after relegation in '87.

McGrath Adrian Heath (even though he was pants for us)  and Nielsen soon after avoiding the drop on our return to the top flight in 89.

Staunton, Richardson, Atkinson signed soon after relegation in 1991.

Draper, Southgate and Savo soon after beating the drop in 1995.

Sorenson after GT's nightmare return in 2003.

And Petrov in 2006, on the back of a particularly grim season under DOL.


Odd that you think only Savo would qualify. Not a dig John, but when did you start following the club? If it was mid 90's or soon after then fair enough.

Point remains, after finishing a respectable 11th in 2007 with money in the bank and at a time just before wealthy owners became de rigueur, a club the size of Aston Villa could have done far better than signing the likes of Knight and Harewood.

[Chris Smith]

You're over thinking it again, he was bought as a backup striker, another big man to cover Carew. He accepted his role without complaint.

When O'Neill bought him he said he wanted to get Harewood back to the form when he scored 16 goals in a season for West Ham.  A huge, very costly failure all round.  The best part of £10m of Randy's money pissed up the wall.

Well he's hardly going to say "I bought him as cover" is he?

This self-flagellation over a signing that didn't turn out brilliantly really bemuses me.

Those with a track record of wanting to turn every thread into an anti MON just see it as another opportunity.

[Brend'Watkins]

Harewood is just one in the long list of our Martins transfer fuck ups in fact you can put a team together from them
Carson
Beye
Knight
Davies
Shorey
Sidwell
Downing
Routledge
Salifou
Harewood
Heskey
 now that is a relegation team, even worse than DOL put out-

When did he ever play this team?  

The answer is never.  

I will allow you Salifou and Routledge as players that haven't really worked out but hardly cost a kings ransom did they?  It's too early to write off Downing and the rest who are still on the books we will get something back for our outlay should we decide to sell.

But hey, why bother putting some balance to MON's acquisitions when you can take only the negative and use it as this week's stick to beat him with.

[Dave Cooper please]

This self-flagellation over a signing that didn't turn out brilliantly really bemuses me.

Almost as bemusing as those trying vainly to justify such an arse signing.

[Toronto Villa]

You're over thinking it again, he was bought as a backup striker, another big man to cover Carew. He accepted his role without complaint.

When O'Neill bought him he said he wanted to get Harewood back to the form when he scored 16 goals in a season for West Ham.  A huge, very costly failure all round.  The best part of £10m of Randy's money pissed up the wall.

Well he's hardly going to say "I bought him as cover" is he?

This self-flagellation over a signing that didn't turn out brilliantly really bemuses me.

Those with a track record of wanting to turn every thread into an anti MON just see it as another opportunity.

That's exactlly what is happening. It doesn't seem to matter that even the greatest managers on earth have had transfer failures. Much, much worse or embarassing than this purchase will ever be. Yet, some people have decided to concentrate all their efforts on a player that was purchased for a small sum in PL terms. He made a minor contribution in the grand scheme of things, but he is what he is, an average PL player. There's absolutely no need whatsover to turn yet another thread into a MON witch hunt. It's completely ridiculous.

[KevinGage]

How is exactly is confirming the blindingly obvious (namely Harewood looked a crap signing at the time and still does) a witchhunt exactly?

Has it got to the stage now that even MON's obvious errors are to be shied away from, not up for discussion? Is that how it works?

I suppose it would be convenient for some, namely those who seem to get offended on his behalf.