Good Sell or Give Away? A striking history....

By WS10
January 12 2006

Reaction to the Fryatt move suggests that Leicester have got themselves a bargain, but how does it compare to the other players we've allowed to leave since the record sale of David Kelly?

 

^{The very nature of Football makes players that score goals the key men. We've allowed a fair few home grown and imported finds to move on over the years...some we expected great things of, others we discarded as not being good enough, but who do you think we should have got more money for? Who didn't we get the best value for? Who did we "give away"... Take part in our latest poll that can be found on the front page... Who did we undervalue most in the transfer market...} 

^{Stuart Rimmer 1989-1991 - £150,000  A popular  player who we signed from Notts County for £150,000 and sold to Barnsley for the same price two years later. Sold when money was tight (REALLY TIGHT),  his record of 40 goals in 101 games speaks for itself. He amassed £865,000 in transfer fee's during a 15 year career. We signed him aged 25 and sold him at the age of 27.} 

 

^{Neil Tolson 1991-1992  - £150,000 - The Matty Fryatt of his day, Tolson joined Oldham Athletic for 150k after just 13 appearances in a Walsall shirt. Oldham were a big club at the time, and 150k was a lot of money for us. Never did play regularly in the top division but gave good service to Bradford before joining Chester, York, Southend and more recently a series of non league Clubs like Leigh, Kettering, Halifax and Hyde United. He left the club at 19 years of age - we never saw the best of him.} 

 

^{Martin Butler 1993-1997 - £22,500 - Another product of our Youth Set Up, Martin Butler moved on to Cambridge for £22,500, but then went on Reading for £750,000 and Rotherham for £150,000. He's scored plenty of goals since leaving Walsall, but we did play him just about every position apart from goalkeeper. His career goal average of 1 in 3 is respectable to say the least. Hos consequant move to Reading did bring a further payment.}

 

^{Kyle Lightbourne 1993-1997 - £500,000 - Signed for free and sold for half a million four years later, Kyle Lightboure was a consistent goal scorer for the Saddlers, Kyle netted 81 times for the Saddlers, but failed to reproduce that form for his next 7 Clubs, but did amass fee's over £1m.} 

 

^{Roger Boli 1997-1998 - £150,000 - An explosive talent who joined the Club for free towards the end of his career - aged 32. The French forward spent one, memorable and eventful season at the Club before moving on to Dundee  and Bournemouth where injury forced him to retire.} 

 

^{Michael Rickets - 1996-2000 - £400,000 - The only player in this list with a Full England Cap. Bolton paid us £400,000 for his services following a successful season of Championship Football with the Saddlers. Not that popular with the fans who didn't like him moaning about leaving during the relegation battle. Middlesbro' paid £3.5m for him but then gave him away to Leeds 18 months later. They've since leant him to Stoke and Cardiff. His move to the Riverside did earn the club another payment.}

 

^{Karl Hawley - 2000-2004 - Released - The only player in the list who we released. Hawley has been a revelation since joing Carlise and netted two consecutive hat tricks earlier in the season. Has only scored goals at a lower level, but will be hopeful of emulating Martin Butler who took a step down in Class to eventually move up. Linked with a big move away recently...}

 

^{Matty Fryatt 2002-2006 - £350,000 - The most recent of our listed players, The England Youth International was always destined to leave for the Club for a sizable fee. Named as one of UEFA's 10 players to watch for the future in 2005, Fryatt's eventual fee could reach 750,000.}