NEVER GO BACK.. THE ONES THAT DID

Robbie Fowler, aka ‘God’, achieved legendary status with Liverpool in his first stint, scoring

171 goals in 330 games – prompting Steve

Mcmanaman to describe his team-mate as ‘‘the greatest goalscorer of all time”. But his return to Anfield, after stints at Leeds and Manchester City, saw him come back down to earth with just 12 goals in two seasons.

Wayne Rooney left Everton for Manchester United as a teenager and enjoyed 13 trophy-laden years at Old Trafford, making 559 appearances and scoring 253 goals. An emotional return to Goodison followed but he departed for the MLS after just one season back at his boyhood club, claiming he did not want to become a “dead weight”.

Joe Cole was one of the mast naturally gifted players to come off the production line at West

Ham and was handed the captain’s armband at the tender age of 21. The

Roman Abramovich revolution saw him head across London to Chelsea and brought three Premier League titles. A move to Liverpool did not prove successful and neither did a West Ham homecoming as he headed for the exit when his 18-month deal expired with just five goals to his name.

Frank Mcavennie ignored the adage ‘never go back’ as two spells at West Ham, Celtic and St Mirren demonstrate. His first season saw him bag 26 league goals, helping the Hammers finish third in the top flight. His second season failed to hit the heights, prompting a switch to Celtic. But success north of the border did not stop him demanding a move back to the Hammers. Things got off to bad start when he suffered a broken leg in the opening game of the season and three years back at the Boleyn Ground brought just 16 goals.