15 May 2009 - 10:52:23
10. Rio Ferdinand: Leeds - Manchester United
Back in the days when Leeds United where challenging for the Premier League and Champions League, rather than losing scraps with Millwall to reach the League One play-off final, the thought of losing players to their bitter rivals from across the Pennines was anathema to their supporters. But, with the financial house of cards Peter Risdale had built starting to wobble, £30 million for the 23-year-old was an offer they couldn't refuse.
9. Lee Clarke: Sunderland - Newcastle
Clarke had trouble winning over the Sunderland public after his transfer from home town club Newcastle United in 1997 but as his new club stormed to what would now be called the Championship title in 1999 he was a key figure in that success, softening the resentment. All that changed when he was photographed at that year's FA Cup final between Newcastle and Manchester United wearing a T-shirt that bore the slogan 'sad Mackem
'. He never played for them again. 8. Nicky Barmby: Everton - Liverpool
Everton's record signing when he joined from Tottenham for around £6 million, Barmby stunned a loving Everton crowd when, in 2000, he became the first player since 1959 to make the short trip across Stanley Park. Forced to pull out of two subsequent Merseyside derbies at Goodison Park he did manage to score against his former employers despite a less than successful time at Anfield, something that only reinforced Everton fans' sense of betrayal.
7. Dennis Law: Manchester United - Manchester City
There was little bitterness when Law was released by United in 1973 to rejoin City, the club he had served earlier in his career, though swapping red for blue still raised eyebrows. Law's split loyalties were best evidenced by the back-heeled goal against United on the last day of the 1973-74 season that he believed at the time had relegated his former club (they would still have gone down without it) which he marked with a sombre hanging of his head rather than celebration.
6. Wayne Rooney: Everton - Manchester United
Despite declaring via the medium of a T-shirt slogan 'once a blue always a blue', Rooney was happy to go in to the red in 2004 when United paid £25.6 million for the services of the Everton youth product. Rooney continues to be the target for fans' ire when the two sides meet and ahead of the recent FA Cup semi-final win for his former employers admitted that were he to go to the final to watch Everton it would have to be 'in disguise'.
5. Ashley Cole/William Gallas: Arsenal - Chelsea
Ashley became a 'c' word after he revealed in a book that he almost crashed his car on hearing the news that Arsenal were 'only' to offer him £55,000-a-week in his new contract and started agitating for a move. "I was so incensed. I was trembling with anger. I couldn't believe what I'd heard," he said. Chelsea couldn't believe their luck and granted the England left-back the riches he believed he deserved. William Gallas came in the opposite direction with mixed success.
4. Andy Cole: Newcastle United - Manchester United
Kevin Keegan addressed angry Newcastle supporters on the steps of St James' Park after sanctioning the £7 million sale of Cole to United, whom they had pretensions on challenging for the top honours, in January 1996. Cole had scored 55 goals in 70 appearances for the club and so Keegan had some explaining to do. He asked the fans to trust him and spent much of the money on Les Ferdinand. Cole had a difficult first season at Old Trafford but went on to win five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, the League Cup and the Champions League; Keegan won nothing.
3. Eric Cantona: Leeds - Manchester United
The enigmatic Frenchman was part of a Leeds side that claimed the last first division title before the age of the Premier League in 1992 but after Sir Alex Ferguson tempted him to Old Trafford he acted as the catalyst for the dominant force United have since become, all for the princely sum of £1.2 million. Voted the United fans' player of the century, he is less fondly remembered at Elland Road.
2. Mo Johnston: Celtic - Rangers (via Nantes)
Transfers don't come any more contentious than this. A successful player for Celtic in the mid-80s, Johnston had the choice of a return to the club following a sojourn in France with Nantes but, despite appearing at a press conference declaring his desire to do just that, he opted instead to sign for Graeme Souness' Rangers. A Roman Catholic and former Celtic man, it's fair to say he wasn't universally accepted, with some sections of the crowd refusing to celebrate goals he scored for the club.
1. Sol Campbell: Tottenham - Arsenal
After coming through the club's youth ranks, Campbell was Tottenham's best player and a hero to the fans. All that changed when he decided to move across north London in search of Champions League football. The pain of seeing the player join their most hated rivals was exacerbated for Spurs fans after Campbell ran down his contract to leave on a free transfer. Campbell went on to collect medals for fun at Arsenal, as well as a hefty salary, while Spurs were left with nothing but resentment and bile.
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If Barmby had been better, I would agree. However.... much ado etc...
"Massive"
