|
THE LOST BOYS
Every
successful Rams team that's been put together in recent memory
always includes one signing who disappears without trace. With Ryan
Smith and Mo Camara competing for the role this time, we thought we
remind you of a few of DCFC's "Lost Boys".
|
|
1984/85
- Billy Livingstone
The
Rams had survived bankruptcy by a whisker and Arthur Cox had barely
enough players to make a team. In the pre-Bosman days when free
transfers were the scum of the earth, Cox made some remarkable
signings: Hindmarch, Chandler, Williams, Micklewhite…and Billy
Livingstone. So obscure he is not even featured in the Complete
Record (why should he? He never played) I last saw his name on a
teamsheet for Tamworth against Borrowash Vics ( this may or may not
have been the same season). When I searched for further information,
a Wolves website had him going directly from them to Tamworth,
completely erasing his Rams existence. Like Jesus Christ and Santa
Claus before him, we think he existed but evidence is scarce.
|
Even a 'google'
search for Billy Livingstone only
yielded this chap.
|
|
1988/89 - John Chiedozie
The Rams most
successful season in (my) living memory. The previous season saw a
newly promoted Rams scrapping to stay up but the following year saw
Cox sign a collection of players who would take the Rams to another
level: Hebberd, Goddard, Pickering (bear with me, he scored at Old
Trafford you know and we won)…and John Chiedozie.
An old sage on my street proudly told me that he had
a £5 bet (a lot of money to a pensioner in 1988) that Chiedozie
would be our best signing and he couldn’t lose because he was a free
transfer. Chiedozie came off in his second game never to be seen
again. I never had the heart to ask if my neighbour won his money…
Wright and Saunders were quite good signings as well. |
His DCFC appearance
record makes Brian O'Neil
look like Steve Powell.
|
|
1995/96 - David Preece
After
Lionel’s millions failed to buy us into the Premiership, Jim Smith
arrived to move on the under achievers and bring in some solid
performers who would gain us promotion and subsequently consolidate
in the top league.
His summer signings included the all action Daryll Powell and Van
Der Laan, the uncut gem Gary Rowett, the sublime Ron Willems…and
David Preece. Theoretically, Preece would serve us well; but in
practice he bombed, long before the cigars arrived.
|
The
chant of "Who's the baldie on our bench" was a genuine question not
a term of endearment Dave.
|
|
2004/05 - Mo Konjic
For the new board it was Premiership or bust
(“literally” is an often overused word but not this time). Out went
the low budget Bradbury, Kennedy, and Mooney and in came the
Hollywood superstars Rasiak, Idiakez, Bisgaard, Smith and Reich.
After the disappointment of the injury prone, clumsy and rarely seen
Dave Walton (another Lost Boy), Burley decided to sort out the
centre back problem once and for all and signed …Mo Konjic.
Rumour
has it that Mo’s double vision caused him to see Coventry score 12
times against us in his last league game. The subsequent mental
disturbance ended his career. |
Three guys who cost
DCFC nothing and did the club proud. As for the big bloke, he was
shite. |
|
|
|
|
