'FIVE OF THE BEST' - Loan Stars (From Swindon Advertiser)

'FIVE OF THE BEST' - Loan Stars

5:08pm Monday 2nd November 2009

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IN THIS new weekly, online-only feature, the Swindon Advertiser takes a look back through Town’s history to pick out ‘Five of the Best’ from a variety of topics.

This week’s debate revolves around the world of loan signings - a market in which recent Town managers have been forced to turn their hand due to financial instability at the club.

Let the Adver know whether you agree or disagree with our picks by commenting below, and take the opportunity to make your suggestions for next week’s ‘Five of the Best’ - Town’s best foreign imports.

Deciding the very ‘best’ loan signings is a tricky process. The way in which loan players are judged is unconventional and can vary greatly in different people’s opinions.

For the sake of the list below, I have determined the ‘best’ as the player who most roundedly fitted each of three categories.

Those categories are: the contribution the player in question made in a Town shirt, his obvious talent at the time and the way in which the fans reacted to his involvement with the club. For me, it is less important to judge Town’s greatest players on their achievements beyond their time at the County Ground.

This weeks honourable mentions go to: Shay Given, James Milner, Michael Carrick, Roy Wegerle, Darius Henderson.

5. David Thompson signed on loan from Roy Evans’ Liverpool in November 1997.

Hard tackling, but with an excellent first touch and a tremendous eye for a pass, Thompson became a creative cog in the Town midfield.

Unfortunately for Town, Thompson’s showings on the pitch did not correlate with the Robins’ results as they slipped down the Division One table, having been top in October.

Rumours have it that then-manager Steve McMahon tried to prise Thompson away from Anfield with what was considered a derisory offer by the Liverpool board.

After receiving the offer from the Wiltshire club, it is said that Reds’ boss Roy Evans was heard to retort that Thompson was worth more than the rest of the entire Town playing structure put together.

Exaggerated or not, the Englishman certainly made an impression in SN1 during his brief, 10-match stay.

4. Lee Holmes signed in December 2004 on a one month deal from Derby County.

With Town stuttering in mid-table, Holmes released a refreshing burst of energy and width and greatly enhanced Swindon’s scoring potential.

Tricky and pacey, the diminuitive winger became an instant hit with fans - his determination to run at defenders and his ability to make something out of nothing both captured the hearts and minds of the County Ground public.

As the beneficiary of several man of the match awards during the first month of his sojourn in Wiltshire, Holmes could boast an impressive collection of magnums of champagne; the only problem being he was too young, at 17, to enjoy his rewards for consistent excellence.

Manager Andy King kept hold of the drink for him, on the condition that he extended his initial one month deal. The youngster duly obliged.

Despite leaving to return to his parent club in mid-March, Holmes was still honoured at the end of season awards ceremony at the County Ground where he picked up the Supporters’ Trust Young Player of the Year trophy.

3. Peter Eastoe turned a loan deal into a permanent move from Wolves in 1973, but in the preceding months he had already established himself as a Robins favourite.

In the loan spell running up to his £88,000 move, Eastoe averaged a goal a game for Swindon, and struck a brace on his debut, immediately endearing himself to the County Ground crowd.

Although Eastoe became a regular in the Town set up it was the ease with which he moulded his game to the Robins’ style and his instant impact on the club’s fanbase which makes him a true loan star.

2. Jerel Ifil is a peculiar conundrum. Immense and resilient during his three different loan spells in Wiltshire, Ifil became a confidence player once his move became permanent in 2004 and his career began to wane before his recent switch over the border to Aberdeen.

But, whilst on his game, Ifil was a rock. The fans were suitably impressed with his performances in his first stint at the County Ground and dubbed him with the ominous moniker ‘The Beast’.

Watford fans got an occasional sneak preview of the haphazard defending with which Ifil would be associated towards the end of his time in Swindon, and the St Lucian was allowed to join Town permanently for a £70,000 fee.

Although his choice ats Town’s second-best loan signing may appear frivolous, Ifil was held in high regard by the Swindon fans whilst he remained under contract at Watford. His displays were bullish and determined, and the sight of a bullocking forward run from defence was commonplace - even if his passing ability was always as wayward.

Ifil was a major factor in Town’s stride to the play offs in 2004. He was, at the time, a revelation.

1. The tragic case of Jimmy Davis tells the story of a young and incredibly gifted young footballer of whom everything was expected but, much to the footballing world’s loss, very little was enjoyed.

Swindon Town Football Club has the honour, draped in tragedy, of being the only club to really witness Davis’ supreme talents with the ball at his feet during his terribly short career.

Davis arrived in Swindon at the start of the 2002/03 season on a three-month loan from Manchester United, where he was highly rated by Sir Alex Ferguson.

Inside of five minutes of his debut, he had won a penalty which Sam Parkin converted.

It was the sign of things to come as Davis’ deft footwork, chronic acceleration and pin-point accuracy gave Town fans something to get excited about.

He had all the hallmarks of a future superstar - the temperament, the composure and the raw enthusiasm. Stylistically, he reminded many of Ryan Giggs - and it was a comparison not without justification.

Davis wowed the Town contingent until November 2002, when Ferguson ruled out a return in order to test his talent at a higher level.

After signing on for Watford on another short term loan, Davis was driving down the M40 to meet his new teammates in preparation for the opening day of the 2003/04 season when he was killed in a car accident.

The news shocked Swindon’s players and fans alike. Davis was treated like a son, despite only featuring 15 times for the Robins, and he was amongst the most talented players to have represented the club.

His legacy was lasting, despite being so young, away from home and thrown into a different footballing arena.

That is why he is Swindon’s greatest loan signing.

And one who wasn’t so great.......

Each week the Adver chooses a Top Five, but, for added flavour, we’ll also throw out one name at random who we believe was the very worst.

In September 2000, Colin Todd presented his new loan signing Marko Tuomela to the Swindon Town fans. He was billed as a Finnish international who had partnered Sami Hyypia in the centre of defence for his country. After half an hour of his debut, the fans were left wondering whether they had been duped.

Weak and clumsy, Tuomela made his first appearance as a substitute in a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth. His stay in Wiltshire lasted two more weeks and, after he was removed by Colin Todd at half time in a home defeat to Tranmere, his loan was cut short and he was packed off back to Norway.

Although Town fans had by then got used to Todd’s peculiar transfer dealings (the case of Kim Heiselberg will forever live in Robins’ nightmares), Tuomela confounded even the manager himself.

Todd lambasted the centre back for “not being able to head the ball” despite his mammoth frame. In fact, Tuomela failed to show the Swindon public any footballing ability.

Years later he turned up in China, plying his trade for Liaoning Beijing, but even they couldn’t appreciate him.

Have your say below on our picks, and make suggestions for Town’s greatest ever imports for next week’s feature.

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