The good, the bad and the very bad - Wolves loanees over the years

Ah, the loan system, what a curious beast.

In recent years managers have thought nothing of stockpiling their squads with players borrowed from other teams, writes Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers.

Watford famously plundered sister club Udinese for loan signings a couple of years ago, with an astonishing 10 players moving from Italy to England in 2012/13 (including Diego Fabbrini, one of seven loan signings on the team sheets for Wolves v Middlesbrough on Saturday), of 14 in total.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the system, Wolves have not been shy in signing loan players, with varying degrees of success.

So let's have a look, in a handily formulated guide, at Wolves' loan signings from years past.

Wolves have never done a Watford and filled their squad with temporary mercenaries, but they have regularly used the loan market to their advantage.

Back in the early 1990s, though, the loan market was still very much a novelty.

So it was with innocent wide-eyed glee that Wolves fans rejoyced in the eighth wonder of the world that was Corporal Punishment himself Guy Whittingham in 1994.

One of Graham Turner's last acts as Wolves boss was to sign Whittingham from Villa (a big-money transfer from Portsmouth had turned sour for the then 30-year-old) in a bid to revive the team's flagging play-off hopes.

Whittingham was goalless in his first two appearances (defeats at Middlesbrough and, inevitably, Pompey). Then Turner was sacked. Ironically, if he'd started his temporary Wolves stay with the flourish he would next show, Turner would probably have kept his job.

Under Peter Shirtliff (temporary boss for a 1-0 win over Charlton) and then Graham Taylor, "Super Guy the Soldier" plundered eight in nine games, replacing the injured Steve Bull in the team and scoring goals like, well, Steve Bull.

It was with uninhibited elation that this Wolves correspondent watched Whittingham sprint all the way from the halfway line (admittedly through a non-existent defence) to score in a 2-0 win at Notts County and then celebrate like he'd tapped in a six-yarder.

Too good for the First Division, Whittingham returned to Villa at the end the season and was sold to Sheffield Wednesday, later returning to Molineux in 1999 for a paltry one goal in 10 game spell, that didn't take the shine off his 1994 brilliance.

In fact 1994 was an excellent year for Wolves loanees. At the start of the 1994/95 season Taylor raided none other than Liverpool for what could legitimately be termed a "double loan swoop".

While Paul Stewart failed to set the world alight (four years later he was playing for Workington), winger Mark Walters certainly did.

Owing to his middle name being Everton (yes, really, Everton. The Merseyside equivalent of Billy "West Brom" Wright) perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that Liverpool wanted shot of Walters. But in Wolves colours he was magnificent.

Walters made 11 consecutive appearances before departing back to Anfield. And he made an indelible mark on anyone who revelled in his tricky wing play.

On his debut against Southend he placed an achingly gorgeous left-footed curler into the far corner, after cutting inside from the right flank.

Two games later versus Portsmouth he did exactly the same.

Three goals in total and an endless number of mazy dribbles down the wing made in an all-too short-lived spell, curtailed when Taylor was forced to prioritise signing new defenders instead of a goalscoring and goal-creating winger. Oh, Graham.

Talking of wide men far too good for Wolves who were plundered from a Premier League club, how about Allan Nielsen?

Just seven appearances in March/April 2000. Two goals, but he was a class above. So much so that Denmark picked him for Euro 2000 and Watford made him their record signing just a couple of months later.

The former Derby youngster had never scored in professional football having played 88 times for the Rams. He got his first while at Wolves against, you guessed it, Derby, in a 3-0 win at Pride Park.

Spurs wouldn't extend the deal beyond three months, despite Wolves' attempts.

The Express & Star's Steve Marshall wrote of Huddlestone at the time: "The 18-year-old has only been at Molineux a month after agreeing a loan move from Spurs but has taken next to no time creating quite an impression.

"So much so that it's hard to believe the Nottingham-born midfielder is still a teenager.

"With his towering 6ft 2ins frame and sizeable build, Huddlestone looks every bit a midfield giant and seasoned old pro.

"And even the composed and stylish way he approaches the game is reminiscent of a wily old campaigner rather than a youngster still, in reality, coming to terms with life in the professional game."

Quite the impact, then.

Others to have made their mark over the years include Emmanuel Frimpong, whose spell was cruelly cut short by injury and whose contribution can only be described in the way Frimpong would want..."DENCH") and young Liverpool left-back Jack Robinson who was one of the few positives in a 2012/13 relegation team that was falling apart at the seams.

Also worthy of a mention are David Wheater, Carlos Edwards, Mikkel Bischoff (who was sadly forced to retire with injury aged 29) and David Connolly, purely for his remarkable four-goal haul in a 6-1 thumping of Bristol City in 1998.

For every Guy Whittingham, there is a Yannick Sagbo. Or a Marlon Harewood. Or a Kevin Kyle. Or a Danny Graham.

The aforementioned quartet scored two measly goals in 27 couldn't-hit-a-cow's-backside-with-a-banjo appearances.

Kyle, though, was a sight to behold, trundling around the opposition penalty area flailing his arms like an aggressive windmill.

Sagbo was a particularly special case. So bad that Kenny Jackett openly criticised him: "Really, by now that No 9 shirt should be his," Jackett said. "I don't think he's made the impact I suggested he would do on loan."

You can say that again. Sagbo was soon dispatched back to Hull, embarrassingly for all concerned before the end of his agreed deal.

And who can forget Sami Al-Jaber.

The poor lad was probably brought to England on the false pretence of sexy Premier League football on the field and a fast-paced modern metropolitan lifestyle with honeys on tap off the field.

Instead he had to play up front with the rather portly Robert Taylor, living in a modest, unassuming two-up two down in Whitmore Reans where doddery Brenda was the local hottie.

In search of exotic local cuisine, Al-Jaber found the Mr Tikka van.

That's the strikers. But the defenders are just as bad.

Simon Coleman tried to make a big impression when he joined from Bolton in 1997. Sadly for Coleman, his impression of a competent central defender was pretty laughable.

And what about Darren Peacock? The best way to endear yourself to your new supporters is probably not to concede a penalty and give a dreadful debut performance in a Black Country derby at the Hawthorns.

That was Peacock's contribution in 2000, though.

The Express & Star's match report summed it up thusly: "It all spelled for an unhappy night for Darren Peacock, who was found seriously wanting, notably when his grotesque 18th minute concession of possession to Lee Hughes led him to clumsily concede the penalty." Grotesque! Safe to say Peacock wasn't signed, although this was primarily down to him suffering a horrific catalogue of injuries in a collision with his own keeper Michael Oakes, leading to his early retirement.

Jermaine Pennant arrived with a reputation for being a big-time Charlie who would throw his toys out of the pram and show only very sporadic flashes of decent football. On that front, he didn't disappoint.

Other to forget (or should that be remember) include Robbie Slater, Kyel Reid, Nigel Quashie, Karpars Gorkss, Robin van der Laan, Vinny Samways, Manuel Thetis, Geoffrey Mujangi Bia and Jens Dowe.

Thank you all for contributing so little between you.

There is little more infuriating than a player performing like a depressed donkey at Wolves, only to produce world-beating form at his next club.

It happens all the time, and merely leads to often unfair accusations of the managers who let them go.

Leigh Griffiths? They should have kept him! Mark Davies? They should have kept him! Charlie Mulgrew? They should have kept him!

Those protestations weren't being made at the time for that trio, and a host of others. Sometimes things just click for players at another club, be it a different style of play, changes in their personal life, etc.

As for loan players, there are a host who excited fans with their arrival, such was their reputation. And there are yet more who later went on to much bigger and better things, But all were largely indifferent at Molineux.

Ladies and gentlemen I give you Hassan Kachloul, Joey Gudjonssen, Carlton Cole, Jeremie Aliadiere, Darron Gibson, Michael Mancienne and Sebastien Bassong.

The latter in particular was a huge let down, at a time when Wolves needed the £8m-rated defender he had been.

Bassong would soon become so good he was promoted to the Premier League with two clubs in the same season, Norwich City and Watford.

And what about the goalkeepers? A plethora of glove-men who came, saw, and left without getting their gloves dirty.

Hands up who can remember Jan Budtz, Andy Marshall, Stefan Postma, Graham Stack, Shane Higgs, Stephen Bywater, Marlon Bereford, Danny Milosevic, Carlo Nash, Andy Petterson, Vince Bartram and Dave Beasant.

And finally, the loanees so good they would be signed.

The South Bank chanted 'sign him up, sign him up, sign him up'. And the managers agreed.

Dean Sturridge was in some ways the ultimate loan signing. He scored the winner at Wimbledon on his debut and then notched a hat-trick in a 4-1 trouncing of Barnsley at Molineux just three days later, after just two goals from strikers for Wolves in their previous 16 home matches.

"He was given an opportunity and he has taken it," Dave Jones understated.

Strurridge was duly signed permanently and scored 20 in 27 that season. Not bad.

Kenny Miller (still going strong for Rangers aged 35) enjoyed a similar Wolves career trajectory, and although he cost about £3m more than Sturridge, Wolves got many years excellent service from the Scot, including of course that famous winner against Manchester United.

There are players who do brilliantly on loan and, when they sign, turn into total puddings. And there are those who continue the good form they showed in the loan spell.

In the latter category, Michael Kightly, Michael Jacobs, James Henry, Adlene Guedioura, Gabor Gyepes, Paul Butler, Ludovic Pollet and the late, and very great, Dean Richards.

In the former category? Rohan Ricketts.

Others not remembered quite as fondly as the likes of Sturridge and Richards are Neill Collins, Tongo Doumbia and our old friend Jamie O'Hara.

We all await with interest to see what category Mike Williamson, Emiliano Martinez, Sheyi Ojo and Adam Le Fondre fall into.