Players Hibs Missed Out On

[Since452]

The David Platt post on the transfer thread got me thinking about players we've had the chance to sign but passed up over the years. John Robertson immediately springs to mind. Any others?

[shamo9]

Andy McLaren in 2003. Played a few pre-season games that year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/3158779.stm

[Mikey]

Ronnie Rosenthal.....

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11979613.rosenthal-has-striking-chance-to-play-for-hibs/

[Skol]

Cantona. The younger brother.

[tamig]

Ronnie Rosenthal.....

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/11979613.rosenthal-has-striking-chance-to-play-for-hibs/

Its a joke. Talking about us raising 500k for his transfer. 5 months later, Mercer and we were almost gone.

[superfurryhibby]

Gordon Strachan and Alan Hansen. Both trained with Hibs as boys and ended up signing elsewhere.

[BILLYHIBS]

Gordon Strachan

Eddie Turnbull refused to buy him a pair of Adidas :confused:

[James70]

Gordon Strachan, a childhood Hibs supporter rejected by Eddie Turnbull for being too small.

[Ray_]

Billy Bremner, Hibs offered 25k, Leeds wanted 30K.

Peter Lorimer, Leeds offered him and 150k for Peter Cormack, he eventually left for 80k to Forest.

John Toshack, he joined Swansea instead as player manager, moved Swansea from the bottom division [forth] to the top [first, where they hit top spot briefly] in successive seasons, before resigning when they started to go in the other direction.

[PatHead]

Leigh Griffiths for£150k

[HibbyAndy]

Didier Agathe to an extent

[Billy Whizz]

Did a young Darren Fletcher not have links with Hibs?

[BILLYHIBS]

Riyad Mahrez

Naw that was St Mirren

:faf:

[tamig]

Didier Agathe to an extent

Still rankles with me that one.

[Billy Whizz]

Still rankles with me that one.

It does, but did we not just offer him a short term deal?

[bigwheel]

Did a young Darren Fletcher not have links with Hibs?

Trained with us , but was never signing despite some attempts from McLeish (I think) at the time ….was always just using us as a local training option as he prepared for life at Man U

[Eaststand]

Way back in the day, I was a member of Club 86.
During the Duff and Gray years, Jim Gray told me at a function that a very young Emilio Butragueño had been over to us for a trial when Eddie Turnbull was our manager. According to Jim, ET had said Butragueno was too thin and not likely to make it with us.

I've often wondered if Jim Gray was havering or has anyone else ever heard this story.

GGTTH

[tamig]

It does, but did we not just offer him a short term deal?

3 months. Left ourselves totally exposed. The boy started on fire and the rest is history.

[Billy Whizz]

3 months. Left ourselves totally exposed. The boy started on fire and the rest is history.

That Dundee game, one of the best ever at Easter Rd

[BoomtownHibees]

Way back in the day, I was a member of Club 86.
During the Duff and Gray years, Jim Gray told me at a function that a very young Emilio Butragueño had been over to us for a trial when Eddie Turnbull was our manager. According to Jim, ET had said Butragueno was too thin and not likely to make it with us.

I've often wondered if Jim Gray was havering or has anyone else ever heard this story.

GGTTH

Sure it wasn’t Emilio Bottiglieri? 😁

[PatHead]

Can think of quite a few players who chose Hearts over us. We dodged a lot of bullets

[Brightside]

Me

[BILLYHIBS]

Pretty sure Didier Agathe missed an absolute sitter on his debut at Tiny in a 0-0

After that he was oan fire

Defo one that got away

[hibbydog]

Stephane Adam?

I’ve heard he had trials at both Hibs and Hearts before signing for that lot?

[BILLYHIBS]

Kyle Lafferty



:cb

[Is It On....]

Way back in the day, I was a member of Club 86.
During the Duff and Gray years, Jim Gray told me at a function that a very young Emilio Butragueño had been over to us for a trial when Eddie Turnbull was our manager. According to Jim, ET had said Butragueno was too thin and not likely to make it with us.

I've often wondered if Jim Gray was havering or has anyone else ever heard this story.

GGTTH

The thought of those 2 charlatans - Duff & Gray - running our club still makes me shiver...

[jgl07]

Leigh Griffiths for£150k

I love the old urban myths!

Or should I sat Hibs-net facts?

[Aldo]

John Robertson aka wee fat Robbo


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[007]

Dylan Bikey

[Billy Whizz]

Ross McCrorie

[HibbyAndy]

ojo :Ummm:

[tamig]

That Dundee game, one of the best ever at Easter Rd

The worst thing about Agathe for me is that he looked like an electrifying striker in the few games he played for us. Sublime finishing too. He also scored a load for Raith in his first season in Scotland before we "signed" him.

O'Neill turned him in to a right back. He did a great job in that wide right role for Celtic over a number of years but I thought it was a real waste of his talent.

I think we got a token 30k for him.

[tamig]

The thought of those 2 charlatans - Duff & Gray - running our club still makes me shiver...

I think of them as two naïve Hibs daft guys who were done over like kippers by a manipulative scheister as they set about realising their dreams.

[erin go bragh]

Peter Beardsley was close to signing I’m sure

[Peevemor]

The worst thing about Agathe for me is that he looked like an electrifying striker in the few games he played for us. Sublime finishing too. He also scored a load for Raith in his first season in Scotland before we "signed" him.

O'Neill turned him in to a right back. He did a great job in that wide right role for Celtic over a number of years but I thought it was a real waste of his talent.

I think we got a token 30k for him.He only scored 7 goals in 30 starts (old 1st division) for Raith Rovers.

The consensus at the time was that the 3 month deal was strange but maybe not a bad idea given we didn't know if he could step up to the top league. It should be remembered that we'd recently let Tony Rougier go - another player that we signed from Raith, who was fine in the 1st division but who wasn't great in the top flight.

Hindsight's a great thing.

[leith lynx]

Stephane Adam?

I’ve heard he had trials at both Hibs and Hearts before signing for that lot?
Also, David Ginola (Sauzée connection)

[The Baldmans Comb]

Hibs didn't miss out on Gordon Strachan rather they let him slip through their fingers thanks to Turnbull's appalling behaviour.

Strachan came in for signing talks accompanied by his father who asked if Hibs were prepared to give a boot allowance.

Turnbull told Strachan snr to "F off" so thats what they did and then signed for Dundee.

It was the same with John Robertson who was accompanied to the signing talks by his brother Chris as their father had recently died. John Robertson asked for time to think over the deal but Tom Hart wanted an answer there and then so Robertson being as balshy then as is he is now walked out.

To think what might have been in both cases.😥

[Since452]

Something is telling me we almost signed fruitcake Allan McGregor around about the time he was on loan at Dunfermline from the huns

[tamig]

He only scored 7 goals in 30 starts (old 1st division) for Raith Rovers.

The consensus at the time was that the 3 month deal was strange but maybe not a bad idea given we didn't know if he could step up to the top league. It should be remembered that we'd recently let Tony Rougier go - another player that we signed from Raith, who was fine in the 1st division but who wasn't great in the top flight.

Hindsight's a great thing.

It was a bizarre arrangement. I can’t think of any other signings we’ve made on a 3 month deal where the player has been straight in the first team from the off.

[jeffers]

Leigh Griffiths for£150k

Posted this before. My mate got really friendly with Pat Fenlon. My mate said PF told him Petrie went down to Wolves to sort out a deal to sign LG, but overnight they sacked their manager and appointed a new one. Can’t remember if it was Jackett for Saunders or the other way round. Anyway the new manager didn’t want LG to leave until he’d had a look at all the players.

[Argylehibby]

Posted this before. My mate got really friendly with Pat Fenlon. My mate said PF told him Petrie went down to Wolves to sort out a deal to sign LG, but overnight they sacked their manager and appointed a new one. Can’t remember if it was Jackett for Saunders or the other way round. Anyway the new manager didn’t want LG to leave until he’d had a look at all the players.

Petrie didn’t go to wolves.

LG went down to meet new manager and arrangement between him and RP was that he would tell the new guy he was homesick and wanted back to Scotland. Hibs would then make an offer to keep him based on the fact LG was desperate to come home. New manager told Leigh he was wanted by him and he signed a new deal. Rod was spitting feathers.

[jgl07]

He only scored 7 goals in 30 starts (old 1st division) for Raith Rovers.

The consensus at the time was that the 3 month deal was strange but maybe not a bad idea given we didn't know if he could step up to the top league. It should be remembered that we'd recently let Tony Rougier go - another player that we signed from Raith, who was fine in the 1st division but who wasn't great in the top flight.

Hindsight's a great thing.
Not really hindsight. Most of the support were very excited by the signing of Agathe but we’re perplexed by the three month contract. Has anyone else been signed on a three month deal before or since.

I think it was a major blunder by Alex McLeish not to sign a longer term deal. McLeish had a very patchy transfer record with Hibs signing a lot of total no-hopers as well as a number of journeymen (Paul Holsgrove etc.)

He did use short term deals quite a lot to assess players before offering them a proper contract. That was fine if they were crap like Peter Guggi. However it was an invitation for the likes of Celtic to assess progress and gazzump Hibs if they turned out to be any good. That affair summed up McLeish’s ‘revolving door’ approach to transfers.

[superfurryhibby]

I think of them as two naïve Hibs daft guys who were done over like kippers by a manipulative scheister as they set about realising their dreams.

Duff was never a Hibs man. He was well culpable, albeit shafted senseless by his business associates.

[Peevemor]

Not really hindsight. Most of the support were very excited by the signing of Agathe but we’re perplexed by the three month contract. Has anyone else been signed on a three month deal before or since.

I think it was a major blunder by Alex McLeish not to sign a longer term deal. McLeish had a very patchy transfer record with Hibs signing a lot of total no-hopers as well as a number of journeymen (Paul Holsgrove etc.)

He did use short term deals quite a lot to assess players before offering them a proper contract. That was fine if they were crap like Peter Guggi. However it was an invitation for the likes of Celtic to assess progress and gazzump Hibs if they turned out to be any good. That affair summed up McLeish’s ‘revolving door’ approach to transfers.It was a blunder but we only know that in hindsight. He could have signed a cracking 3 year deal and been pants.

Maybe either McLeish himself or the Hibs board didn't trust his ability to judge potential players?

[Peevemor]

Duff was never a Hibs man. He was well culpable, albeit shafted senseless by his business associates.He was guilty of being stitched up. At one point he broke company law by refusing to sell his shares. Had he sold up we were goosed.

[Fergus52]

Leon Osman

[S4uzee]

Scott Arfield from Falkirk

[Greencore]

Steven Naismith

Didn't we just bid to make sure the old rangers would up their bid 😂 class.

[aberhibsfc]

Didier Deschamps, David Trezeguet and David Platt.

[calumhibee1]

Steven Naismith

Didn't we just bid to make sure the old rangers would up their bid 😂 class.

Was the rumour not that we had bid £1.2m?

[Allez Hibs]

It was a blunder but we only know that in hindsight. He could have signed a cracking 3 year deal and been pants.

Maybe either McLeish himself or the Hibs board didn't trust his ability to judge potential players?

I'd say Agathe is the most memorable missed opportunity. What a player he could have been over that season for Hibs.

[Peevemor]

Was the rumour not that we had bid £1.2m?£800k I thought.

[Smartie]

I’m still getting over that time we let Bobby Mann slip through the net.

[CentreLine]

Hearts offered us Willie Bald for Lawrie Reilly.

[Baader]

Hibs didn't miss out on Gordon Strachan rather they let him slip through their fingers thanks to Turnbull's appalling behaviour.

Strachan came in for signing talks accompanied by his father who asked if Hibs were prepared to give a boot allowance.

Turnbull told Strachan snr to "F off" so thats what they did and then signed for Dundee.

It was the same with John Robertson who was accompanied to the signing talks by his brother Chris as their father had recently died. John Robertson asked for time to think over the deal but Tom Hart wanted an answer there and then so Robertson being as balshy then as is he is now walked out.

To think what might have been in both cases.😥

Both right. Strachan's old man didn't like Turnbull's 'colourful' language.

Robertson was told by Tom Hart to sign there and then or he wouldn't play for Hibs. Not the best negotiations we ever did!

[Greencore]

I’m still getting over that time we let Bobby Mann slip through the net.

What happened there? Think it was a player swap that nearly happened.

[BILLYHIBS]

I’m still getting over that time we let Bobby Mann slip through the net.
Aye Mann for Whitts and Deek :confused:

A fair swop ....not!

From the man that told us if you want entertainment go to the Cinema :greengrin

[superfurryhibby]

He was guilty of being stitched up. At one point he broke company law by refusing to sell his shares. Had he sold up we were goosed.

I think he was bent as they come and just got fleeced by a conman who was wider than him. He didn’t sell his shares, about his only saving grace. He was negligent and reckless with the club and it's finances. THis led directly to the crisis which gave Mercer the opportunity to try and put us out of business.

[jgl07]

Aye Mann for Whitts and Deek :confused:

A fair swop ....not!

From the man that told us if you want entertainment go to the Cinema :greengrin
Another fabricated tale put about by John Robertson around nine years after the fact.

There wasn't a chance that either Riordan or Whittakar would be involved in any swap deal for Bobbie Mann.

[jeffers]

Petrie didn’t go to wolves.

LG went down to meet new manager and arrangement between him and RP was that he would tell the new guy he was homesick and wanted back to Scotland. Hibs would then make an offer to keep him based on the fact LG was desperate to come home. New manager told Leigh he was wanted by him and he signed a new deal. Rod was spitting feathers.

Not what my mate told me Fenlon had said to him. Though it’s not to say what you heard happened afterwards.

[BILLYHIBS]

Another fabricated tale put about by John Robertson around nine years after the fact.

There wasn't a chance that either Riordan or Whittakar would be involved in any swap deal for Bobbie Mann.
Naw it must be true besides I read it on here and it is on the list of ‘ Dotnet facts ‘ :greengrin

https://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?168819-Bobby-Williamson-Complete-tit-(Bobby-Mann-tale-again)


:hibees

[Jones28]

Adam Le Fondre

[Bridge hibs]

Cillian Sheridan 😳

[Hibernian Verse]

Chris Hackett.

[oneone73]

Me ☹️

[The Modfather]

Sure I read something about Hibs trying to sign Pele when he was in the MLS for a one off game. Is that an urban myth or were we trying a PR stunt?

[Argylehibby]

Not what my mate told me Fenlon had said to him. Though it’s not to say what you heard happened afterwards.

That came from Rod himself and in all the times I met him was the only time I heard him swear.

[Highwayman]

The Didier Agatha affair was a strange one.
That Alex. McLeish thought he was only worth a 3 month deal and although he scored 4 goals in 6 games McLeish didn’t want to extend it.
Martin O Neill saw something he could use in Agathe signed him and Agathe then went on to collect
a fair amount of honours with Celtic.
What else I. didn’t quite understand was the level of abuse Agathe
got from the Hibs fans when he came back to ER with Celtic.
Even those so called “one of our own” e.g.Ian Murray and Kevin Thomson didn’t get the same of level of abuse even although they’d defected to Rangers.
Anyone know the reason for the amount of abused Agathe was subjected to ?

[Peevemor]

The Didier Agatha affair was a strange one.
That Alex. McLeish thought he was only worth a 3 month deal and although he scored 4 goals in 6 games McLeish didn’t want to extend it.
Martin O Neill saw something he could use in Agathe signed him and Agathe then went on to collect
a fair amount of honours with Celtic.
What else I. didn’t quite understand was the level of abuse Agathe
got from the Hibs fans when he came back to ER with Celtic.
Even those so called “one of our own” e.g.Ian Murray and Kevin Thomson didn’t get the same of level of abuse even although they’d defected to Rangers.
Anyone know the reason for the amount of abused Agathe was subjected to ?

I thought that we did want to extend the deal but it was Agathe that wanted to go elsewhere (Celtic), thus the stick.

[Leitherhibs]

Can anyone recall the name of the lad we allegedly tried to sign from Sweden who was a winger/forward and had a top rap 20 single or album in Sweden? Think it was John Collins era, but I remember there being several posts on here that were quite excited at the prospect of him joining. Would've been one of the most obscure signings in Hibs history I think too.

[JimBHibees]

I thought that we did want to extend the deal but it was Agathe that wanted to go elsewhere (Celtic), thus the stick.

Yes once he showed his form Celtic tapped him up. Can remember ONeill was in the stand for the Dundee game

[Mon Dieu4]

I thought that we did want to extend the deal but it was Agathe that wanted to go elsewhere (Celtic), thus the stick.

he famously came out and said he wasn't on trial with Hibs but Hibs were on trial with him, made me despise the guy

[Smartie]

I thought that we did want to extend the deal but it was Agathe that wanted to go elsewhere (Celtic), thus the stick.

That’s how I remember it.

We were desperate to extend his deal, but actually did quite well to get a few buttons out of Celtic given he only had a few weeks of contract left.

[A Hi-Bee]

Did we no miss out on the greatest of them all to play for Hibs, when we let Gordon Smith go, he went on to win another 2 league winners medals after Hibs, so pretty much far from finished.
:thumbsup:

[Block]

Kyle Lafferty

Thank the ducks.

[Highwayman]

Can anyone recall the two Norwegian players,who came to Hibs IIRC towards the end of Eddie Turnbulls reign.One was definetly a forward,but can’t recall whether the other one was a midfielder or defender.There was an initial delay in getting their clearance.Can recall seeing the forward who looked a decent player but have no recollection of the other one.
Then this is where I am probably getting mixed up again,I recall Ned saying the forward was too good for Scottish football and soon after both their short stays were ended and they were moved on.

[weecounty hibby]

Can anyone recall the two Norwegian players,who came to Hibs IIRC towards the end of Eddie Turnbulls reign.One was definetly a forward,but can’t recall whether the other one was a midfielder or defender.There was an initial delay in getting their clearance.Can recall seeing the forward who looked a decent player but have no recollection of the other one.
Then this is where I am probably getting mixed up again,I recall Ned saying the forward was too good for Scottish football and soon after both their short stays were ended and they were moved on.
Isaak Refvik and Sven Mathiesen. Both looked good players, Refvik especially. Sadly we didn't have enough clout at the time to get visas for them. Surprisingly der hun got one for Robert Prytz (spelling?) No trouble at all

[silverhibee]

Another fabricated tale put about by John Robertson around nine years after the fact.

There wasn't a chance that either Riordan or Whittakar would be involved in any swap deal for Bobbie Mann.

Even Williamson said the story was nonsense, Deek was never going to Inverness and had told the club that, s**t stirring from folk.

[SteveHFC]

Jonny Hayes
Adam Rooney

[BILLYHIBS]

Did we no miss out on the greatest of them all to play for Hibs, when we let Gordon Smith go, he went on to win another 2 league winners medals after Hibs, so pretty much far from finished.
:thumbsup:
And a League Cup

Might have been the last time the wee team won it

Cannae be arsed checking

Matters not a jot 😃

[Potty78]

The Stephan Adam one, did we have him on trial and Alex Miller said no🤷*♂️

[Colr]

Willie Pettigrew

[TelaStella]

Darren Barr
Andy Webster
Jason Holt
Naill Mcginn
Paddy McCourt
Ian Black, fs.


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[Leitherhibs]

Isaak Refvik and Sven Mathiesen. Both looked good players, Refvik especially. Sadly we didn't have enough clout at the time to get visas for them. Surprisingly der hun got one for Robert Prytz (spelling?) No trouble at all


Hats off to you sir for pulling those two out of the bag.

[CropleyWasGod]

I seem to remember apoplexy on here when we couldn't get Cillian Sheridan.

[PatHead]

Remember David Gray was rumoured to be signing a few times before he actually did.

We could have won the cup years before we did. Petrie!!!!

[BILLYHIBS]

Gms

[heretoday]

John Toshack............yawn....

[Gaffer1875]

James McFadden, before he signed for St Johnstone I think.
Jermaine Pennant, scored as a trialist but not offered a deal.
Jim Goodwin, the January before we were relegated as we were missing a bit of steal in midfield, apparently.


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[04Sauzee]

Paulo Sergio? I'm sure he trialed at Hibs?