(Maybe it's Nic Anelka - again!)
NEWS STORY
KOP 10: 'CLOAK &DAGGER' TRANSFER SWOOPS
Mark Platt 30 August 2005
With the closure of the transfer window drawing ever near Liverpoolfc.tv remember the days when transfers were conducted away from the prying eyes of the media and pick out ten of the Reds' finest 'cloak and dagger' style swoops.
Not all of the following may have turned out to be as successful as it was hoped at the time but for one reason or another they were deals that stunned the fans and got the football world talking...
1. Albert Stubbins
A crushing 5-0 defeat to Manchester United prompted manager George Kay and chairman Bill McConnell to make a late night dash to Tyneside in a bid to sign up this prolific Geordie striker. Everton were also interested and Stubbins tossed a coin to decide who he should speak to first. The coin came down in favour of the Reds and he agreed a record-breaking move to Anfield without seeing what the Blues had to offer.
2. Kenny Dalglish
Bob Paisley ended his summer-long search for Kevin Keegan's replacement when he persuaded Celtic to part with their prized buttet. The Scottish giants had made it perfectly clear to interested suitors that the King of Parkhead was not for sale but Paisley and chairman John Smith did not relent and after finally setting up a meeting with Jock Stein they booked into a hotel just outside of Glasgow under false names and concluded a British record transfer deal late that night.
3. Ian Rush
Liverpool's prodigal son returned to Anfield amid a blaze of publicity on the eve of the 1988-89 season. Just a year after selling Rush to Juventus the Reds shook the football world by unveiling him at a packed press conference. Rushie's time in Turin had not been a particularly happy one and when it emerged Juve would be willing to let him go Liverpool pounced. They did so in such a professional manner that their sensational swoop remained such a closely guarded secret that even members of Anfield staff were stunned by his return.
4. Dave Hickson
Despite languishing in the old Second Division Liverpool made sure they were headline news with the sensational capture of Everton favourite Hickson. The Reds were in desperate need of firepower to boost their faltering promotion push but this was a move that created an unprecedented furore on Merseyside. A city was divided but amid protests from both sets of fans manager Phil Taylor pressed on. A deal was swiftly concluded and within days the darling of the Gwladys Street had become the new hero of the Kop.
5. Dean Saunders
"Snatch of the Day" was the banner headline on the Echo advertising boards around the city centre on the summer day in 1991 when Liverpool pipped Everton to the signature of the much sought after Derby County striker. Welsh international Saunders looked destined for the gates of Goodison but following secret negotiations the Reds came in with a late bid for his services and with a British record transfer fee Souey completed his first signing as Liverpool manager.
6. John Evans-Frank Lock
The first Liverpool fans knew of the double swoop for Charlton pair Evans (left) and Lock was when their names were read out on the Anfield tannoy system ahead of the Boxing Day fixture against West Brom in 1953. Manager Don Welsh had signed the duo on Christmas Eve but with no newspapers being printed over the festive period their Anfield arrival was kept a secret until just minutes before they made their debut.
7. Nicolas Anelka (loan)
Kopites were taken by surprise when it was announced in December 2001 that Nicolas Anelka was to join the Reds in a loan deal until the end of the season. Following the sale of Robbie Fowler rumours were rife that Gerard Houllier was looking to boost his attacking option as the crucial Xmas period approached. The name of former Arsenal and Real Madrid striker, however, was one that had not been mentioned but Houllier took advantage of his French connections to make France international Anelka a temporary Red.
8. Peter Thompson
After a season of consolidation in the top-flight Bill Shankly was preparing a serious buttault on the championship when he dipped into the transfer market to capture flying winger Thompson from Preston North End. Shanks had been an admirer of Thompson since seeing him dump the Reds out of the FA Cup a couple of seasons earlier but was loathe to declare his interest publicly until he'd beaten off competition from Everton, Wolves and Juventus, and sealed the deal.
9. Jerzy Dudek-Chris Kirkland
It was no secret that Liverpool were in the market for a new goalkeeper as the transfer deadline loomed in August 2001. A high-profile howler by Sander Westerveld only served to heighten the search and the names of Dudek and Kirkland had been bandied about as possible replacements. What no-one had anticipated, however, was the sight of them both flanking a proud Gerard Houllier at a hastily arranged Melwood press conference.
10. Ray Kennedy
No signing in the world could have usurped Bill Shankly's shock resignation as Liverpool boss in July 1974 but even before Shanks dropped his mbuttive plantshell there had been no suggestion whatsoever that the Reds were closing in on Arsenal striker Ray Kennedy. Negotiations with the Gunners had been kept so low-profile that Kennedy's signing came totally out of the blue, just like the other big news story that was announced on the day he arrived.
