The one that got away

[Karl Bridges]

We all know the long list of players who could have signed for Villa but slipped through the net somehow.

I had no idea we had Adnan Januzaj on trial before he went to Utd. One of our former youth players was tweeting about him when he scored the two goals for Utd

ADNAN SCORED! I trained with him for like a week at villa and played against him couple times since, maybe best I've played with/against

ok ok never mind maybe, he is the best player I've ever played with /Against , wooooooow

Safe to say Adnan was the best trialist villa ever bought in.......

Fancy getting seduced by Utd, he'd have probably played 30 odd games by now if he'd have come here.

[wozwebs]

MON, Houllier or McLeish era?

[Karl Bridges]

He signed for Utd when he was 16, so i'd presume it was just before that. He's 18 now.

[danlanza]

Lambert will have him in JANUARY.

[Irish villain]

He signed for Utd when he was 16, so i'd presume it was just before that. He's 18 now.

If I was a betting man I'd say Houllier though it sounds like a McLeish thing to just let such a good player go.

[dave.woodhall]

We didn't sign a 16 year old we had on trial. May as well just pack up and disband the club.

[Karl Bridges]

I think it was more that he chose Utd, rather than us letting him go.

@ Dave, I just didn't know we'd had him at the club. If he goes on to be as good as is being suggested, then he's another name to add to the list of Villa folklore of nearly but not quite.

[dave.woodhall]

I think it was more that he chose Utd, rather than us letting him go.

@ Dave, I just didn't know we'd had him at the club. If he goes on to be as good as is being suggested, then he's another name to add to the list of Villa folklore of nearly but not quite.

We haven't let many slip through our fingers over the years though.

[Toronto Villa]

We haven't let anything slip through our fingers. The kid has played one very good game against a side that is utterly gash. In fact had Man U been playing anything to the level they should be these past few weeks we'd still never have heard of him as he'd be stuck in the reserves. Let's just see how he performs in the next few games now that he is no longer a surprise.

[Isa]

Fancy getting seduced by Utd, he'd have probably played 30 odd games by now if he'd have come here.

More likely he'd be on loan to someone like Notts County if he were here now.

[Legion]

I think it was more that he chose Utd, rather than us letting him go.

@ Dave, I just didn't know we'd had him at the club. If he goes on to be as good as is being suggested, then he's another name to add to the list of Villa folklore of nearly but not quite.

We haven't let many slip through our fingers over the years though.

Sturridge, but he hardly 'slipped through our fingers'.

[PaulTheVillan]

We didn't sign a 16 year old we had on trial. May as well just pack up and disband the club.

Think of the massive profit we've lost out on.

Could have sold him for £25m in 2 years time to a big club.

[nigel]

We all know the long list of players who could have signed for Villa but slipped through the net somehow.

I don't know any youngsters that 'slipped through the net' , but, I can think of a couple of players who could/would have signed, and made a huge difference, for the club.

Juninio (spelling?) and Robbie Keane, from Wolves.
Both were apparently lost due to Doug's penny pinching.

[PaulTheVillan]

We all know the long list of players who could have signed for Villa but slipped through the net somehow.

I don't know any youngsters that 'slipped through the net' , but, I can think of a couple of players who could/would have signed, and made a huge difference, for the club.

Juninio (spelling?) and Robbie Keane, from Wolves.
Both were apparently lost due to Doug's penny pinching.

We signed Ginola instead.

[not3bad]

Juninio (spelling?) and Robbie Keane, from Wolves.
Both were apparently lost due to Doug's penny pinching.

I thought in Keane's case it was because Gregory didn't think much to him.