I don't know enough about Carl Cort to express an opinion, but in the past we have been well and truly sh@fted by Wimbledon. With the exception of Barton, who took 4 years to become good, and 5 to be accepted as being good. We've bought some rubbish. Beasant and Thorn and Barton at first. Now I'm extremely worried that this is another average player who looks good in an average team and then withers immensely in the big lights.

Please someone put my mind at rest!

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

Answers

So mate no can do. Cort seems all arms and legs, I was really hoping for someone that is as quick as Owen. Of what I can remember of Cort one word springs to mind---average.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

Come on fellas. Give YBR some credit (assuming he was in on the deal). If nothing else, YBR knows a good player when he buys one.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

With 15 goals last season he's a lot better than the strikers we have had waiting in the wings at his age: Huckerby, Robinson, Dalglish, Hunt...never looked like getting a return like that from any of them. Give me the arms and legs any day. Anyone would think you lads had read all the rude remarks from the Wimbledon fans and have chosen to hedge you bets ;-)

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

To be fair to previous signings from Wimbledon - Dave Beasant was a decent goaly who made a couple of bad mistakes early in his Toon career, and thereafter was rubbished by the crowd, a la Given.
Andy Thorn played OK until he had a bad knee injury and never really came back from it - he was never quick, and the injury seemed to slow him down even further. Thereafter he was just a big plodder.
In my memory, Warren Barton played very well for us initially, and then seemed to badly lose his confidence. I was one who criticised him heavily during this spell, and it took him a long time for him to get back to anything like his best. Lesser men, of course, would have just thrown in the towel: to his eternal credit, he didn't, and IMO is a credit to his former Club.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

You're probably right re Beasant, Clarky. It was a shite team anyway. I'm sure there's quite a few players from that season that people would put high up on their all time shit list - Pingel for example. Robertson.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

Windy,
It certainly ranks up there as perhaps the most disappointing season ever.
We'd just moved back to the Toon from the US, and I'd acquired two season tickets (very easy in those days) - one for me, and the other for my 14 year-old 'Yankee' son, with a NY accent, who was in serious need of indoctrination.
It was the first time the Toon had ever given the Manager a decent wedge to buy some talent, and hopes couldn't have been higher. Beasant, Thorne, John Robertson from Hearts, John Hendry from Bradford, and I believe Mirandhina - or did he come in later?
Of course, it turned into a mega-disaster - Willie MacFaul was fired after a disastrous start, to my disgust my son lost interest half way through the season, and we finished up getting relegated.
The good news is that the Yankee was of course smitten, despite this initial disaster, and he is as devoted a Mag as his Dad these days - thank the Lord!

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

Screach, I hope YBR was in on it. although i feel before he left for his hols he gave shepard a list of players he wanted and then said if you can't get any of 'em there is a lad that plays for one of those london teams, see if you can through 7 mill in his face and see what he does.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

At the time I was making a less than successful transition from studenthood to the real world, and working for a living in Lahndan. Have to admit I probably only saw them once that season. I think it was at Loftus Road, late 88. I don't think Mirandinha was playing, but I think he was still there. Lost heavily but can't remember the score.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000

Will Cort succeed? I suggest its about CONFIDENCE, how to get it, how to keep it, and what happens when you don't have it.

Cort obviously has skill, of some type. 15 goals for the Wombles is a measure of something.

YBR clearly knows how to give a player confidence (and tips on the right things to do). I remember Softies description of Robert Lee playing for the reserves - Softie felt no professional should not just give up and simply take the money. In my view Lee had had his confidence deliberately undermined and some "managers" will actually do that. But not YBR.

Every player has a list of faults that can be charged to his account. When Malcom MacDonald joined Newcastle Jackie Charlton, then fighting, ... sorry, playing, for Leeds gave a list of MacDonalds "faults" in a newspaper. It sounded horrendous. I can't remember them all. What I do remember is the goals he scored against Leeds in the first match of that season!!

I think every young player has things to learn. If you buy one, and there really is little option, then you have to work with them.

Sounder

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2000