Most Disappointing Player in RFC History

[Wimb]

Having mentioned a few dud signings in the failure to buy a striker thread, it got me thinking about who has been the biggest letdown in terms of a signing/player coming through the ranks in the club's history.

By this I don't mean the worst player, I mean who failed to live up to their expectations, who never kicked on despite big hype or who should have achieved more.

In terms of big money signings it's hard to look past Emerse Fae and Greg Halford, two of the most expensive players in our history who combined for less then 10 Premier League starts. Considering the relatively little spent on transfer fees in our Premier League days it's even more disappointing that they never panned out. Going back I also remember being disappointed early on that Murty never panned out as the flying winger he was signed as.

Not in the same bracket but I never felt that Bobby Mikhalov or Darren Caskey lived up to their billings either. Considering Caskey put in some decent Premier League performances and played in a successful England U21 team, he never really performed in Division One despite (again) being a record signing. Same with Bobby who was a very experienced international goalkeeper but who couldn't stay fit.

Youngster wise I was disappointed that James Henry never really kicked on in his time here, but Nathan Tyson was the biggest 'tease' in terms of talent. He scored a great couple of goals against Germany in an (U18?) game at the Madejski but couldn't displace Salako/Forster in the team before he was shipped out. I could also label the entire academy a bit of a disappointment for failing to provide a significant regular first teamer in 15 years between the likes of Taylor/Lovell/Williams and Karacan/Church/Siggy.

But for me the biggest overall disappointment has to be Sean Evers. A 700k man very much hyped up and who never performed in a Reading shirt, a symbol of all that went wrong with the Burns era to me (except that he wasn't Scottish).

[Royal Rother]

James Lambert was my biggest disappointment.

[Svlad Cjelli]

Marek Matejovsky.

When he came here he had such an opportunity, and potentially such a great pedigree, to make a real impact. We were at such a crucial point in our history and if he'd settled in properly and used his undoubted ability to the full he could have been an integral part of our consolidation in the PL. .

Instead, apart from one goal at Anfield, he contributed the square root of bugger all.

[winchester_royal]

Shaun Goater.

[Focher]

Mark Whitlock

[super darren caskey]

Mass sarr without a doubt.A complete shower of shite


Maybe im bein harsh but..very disappointing in my opinion

[Bandini]

Steve Moran

[3 veesinarow]

Darren Caskey - overweight, alcoholic & a heavy gambler who came from the same young England stock as Scholes/Beckham etc and never, ever played to his potential. The odd last-minute game-saving free-kick or penalty doesn't count.

[papereyes]

If I have it right, we never won a game playing Halford or Fae. Both were record signings.

[papereyes]

Though I can't remember who it was who said about Khalifa Cisse

"He looks like he'll be our Patrick Vieira"




Are you thinking what he's thinking.

Actually, I'll throw in one more from that period. Andre Stephane Bikey-Amougou.
Absolutely superb but also a bone-fide nut job.

[Gloria Gooner]

John Salako was brilliant before he signed his contract, a little bit rubbish afterwards.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Bit harsh on Caskey. Kept us up on his own in Burns last season/Pardew's 1st.

Goater was a huge let down, Murray too.

Lita should have done much more imo.

[Oi Oi Saveloy]

There is quite a list to choose from, but the ones that spring to mind are as follows

Sean Evers
Greg Halford
Fae
Mass Sarr
Marek Matejovsky

[Ian Royal]

Fae - cost a bomb, was really sub-standard for what we needed and was a mouthy trouble maker.
Matejovsky - not cheap, had outstanding skill but never actually delivered.
Asaba - Big money at the time and should have done well, he was tall, skillful and strong - didn't deliver
Murray - again substantial money and had a big rep but didn't deliver.
Mikhailov - player of the 94 world cup, but wasn't that great, spending most of his time refusing to play with fake injuries.
Sarr - played like Ronaldinho in his first couple of matches then went utter shite.

Personally I don't think Goater was a disappointment, he did alright in his first season, despite being let down by Pardew leaving. Caskey never really lived up to his potential but had one cracking season and was alright the rest of the time. Halford doesn't really feature for me for some inexplicable reason he ought to considering...

[Jerry St Clair]

Mark Reilly is the worst player I've ever seen, but I don't think he could be classed as a big disappointment. I think that honour has to be shared by two local boys who promised big but failed to deliver:

James Lambert and Neville Roach.

I'm sure I saw Neville Roach single-handedly demolish someone (Southend or Swansea, I think?) which led me to rather rashly predict that he'd definitely play for England one day.

[Gordons Cumming]

How many times!!!????


ROGER JOSLYN!

[Starfish]

Joe Gamble, obviously.

[prostak]

Cos he was a local boy, gotta be James Lambert for the squandered talent.

[Royal With Cheese]

Joe Gamble, obviously.

Who?

[Forbury Lion]

Not in the same bracket but I never felt that Bobby Mikhalov or Darren Caskey lived up to their billings either.

To be fair, Caskey did save us from relegation with his goals in the Burns era.


Paul Brayson - Scored hundreds of goals in Newcastle reserves apparently.