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Open Thread: Tell Us Your Favourite Football Transfer Stories

Balls Team
By Balls Team
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Given that the highlight of the January transfer window so far has been Roger Johnson going on loan to West Ham we thought we'd relive some of our favourite signings of years gone by.

Here are three we love but we want to hear your stories; let us know your favourite transfers in the comments below.

Robert Molenaar

When Leeds signed Robert Molenaar from FC Volendam back in 1997, Ceefax, possibly stuck for a few words to say about the Dutch centre-back, remarked that he would likely be very popular with the ladies of Leeds due to his striking good looks.

Molenaar went on to become known by the Leeds fans as "The Terminator" due to his physical presence on the pitch.

The details of his success off the pitch are unknown.

PJ Browne

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Trevor Francis

On February 1979, Trevor Francis, the goal-scoring, substitute smacking Birmingham lad became the first 'million pound player' in British football when he left his hometown club, Birmingham City, for European Cup chasing Nottingham Forest.

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It was widely regarded as a big milestone in English football and a big media event. Despite this, the Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough addressed the press conference in a hurry without even sitting down, with a tracksuit on him and a squash racquet in his hand. He told everyone that the actual fee was £999,999 (not true) so as the milestone wouldn't go to his new star's head.

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He said the prolific goal-scorer he had just splashed out big on had "great potential" and then hurriedly brought the press conference to a close because he had a squash game to play across town.

Conor Neville

Ali Dia

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I know it's a strikingly obvious one but I can't look past Southampton signing George Weah's supposed cousin Ali Dia.

Graeme Souness signed Dia in 1996 on an apparent recommendation from Weah or someone close to him. Dia showed up to a trial on the Friday and gave an underwhelming performance in a game of five-a-side, according to Matt Le Tissier. So needless to say the squad were a little surprised when Dia was named on the bench for their league match the following day.

Indeed it was Le Tissier who suffered a calf injury early in the game which led to Souness sending Dia on. 'He was like Bambi on ice,' says Le Tissier. 'He was very very embarrassing to watch.'

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53 minutes after coming on, Dia was taken off again due to the fact that he was absolutely shit. He came into the club the next morning to see the physio but after that he never showed up again. What a champion!

Mark Farrelly

Leave us a comment with your favourite stories below.

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