by SCIAG »
08 May 2024 22:39
South Coast Royal SCIAG From Despair To Where?
I think with Convey he took a year to settle, and in his third season, we didn't miss him because Hunt really stepped up and Seol came in and was massive. I thought Seol, for all his faults, was a huge player. We were a hard working, well organised side and he just threw in a huge dose of flair into the mix.
Seol, of course, was a record signing in his own right.
Other record signings who come to mind...
Matt Mills - ~£2m
Adrian Mariappa - ~£3m
Tiago Ilori - ~£3.75m
Of whom, Mills was a mixed bag, Mariappa was a good player in a shambolic side, and Ilori was a huge disappointment.
But tbh it doesn't feel right to call Convey a "qualified" success. For me personally, if I was picking the greatest Reading team in my lifetime it would have Convey in it. Like, sorry to Gilkesy and McAnuff but Convey was on another level. (I think the only way he doesn't make it is if I both decide I want Gylfi and I want 4-4-2, which means Gylfi going out to the left) I don't think we can ask much more of a record signing than getting us promoted and arguably being our best ever player in his position. With apologies to those who remember Gordon Cumming.
FWIW Cumming played on the right.
You are probably right in saying that Convey was our best ever because he is assessed as a Premier League player.
Two before him, Gilkes and Tommy Jenkins were brilliant for the level that we were then playing at - both were transferred to top level clubs (IIRC Saints were top level then) but were never very good at that level although in the case of Jenkins I think he might have been a success but injuries had a major impact. He cost £500 but we sold him for £60,000 just 5 months later, what a deal for a lower level club in 1969.
Ironically I was transferred to a job in Southampton (for no transfer fee) in 1970 but never got to see him play for them.
Same goes for Paul Canoville who had his career ruined by one terrible injury but was great when with us.
Back in the 60s we had George Harris who scored 25 goals one season playing as an orthodox left-winger.
He had brilliant spring and many of his goals were headers-he got 26 goals the next season but the club didn't keep him for long for whatever reason and he remained a lower league player-we thought a higher level club would come in for him.
So yes, Convey it is but we have had a few that have been ok.
Canoville is a good shout, have heard him described as essentially far too good for us and only with us because Chelsea racially abused him.
I wasn't judging Convey as a top-flight player. Convey only managed about half a dozen games in the top flight before he got a career changing injury (which led to Hunt starting against Chelsea). I was mostly going off the 106 season where he was electric.
If I was judging it based solely on the top flight, I'd argue for McAnuff but realistically it would have to be Hunt.
Do appreciate you adding the historical context though - not really heard of Jenkins or Harris and always interesting to learn more.
