Fergie’s worst signings

Tyrone Barnett A million-pound misfit. Started well, finished badly. Liam Hatch A £150k sub. Scott Rendell Flattered to deceive. Nicky Ajose Huge wages, little return. Danny Swanson Now he was a pea-heart. Rene Howe Non-scoring striker. Ben Wright Non-playing striker. Sergio Torres Could never break into the side regularly. Dominic Green Bigged-up beyond his ability. Darren Ferguson’s appointment as Posh boss on January 20, 2007 was greeted with a massive shrug of indifference by Posh fans. Actually that’s being kind. Most Posh supporters thought chairman Darragh MacAnthony had lost his marbles. Or he’d been seduced by a very famous footballing surname.

Two weeks earlier MacAnthony had despatched Keith Alexander after he’d overseen a run of six straight League Two defeats.

Names like Kevin Keegan, David O’Leary and Neil Warnock had been bandied about as possible replacements.

Instead a Saturday lunchtime announcement that a fading Wrexham midfielder whose coaching experience was limited to his club’s un- der 15 side had been given the job was made.

“I’ve never been so underwhelmed,” moaned one fan.

“That’s what happens when Laurel and Hardy are running the club,” said another in reference to the new London Road power axis of MacAnthony and Barry Fry.

The mood among the fans didn’t improve as Ferguson, and his coach Kevin Russell, watched Posh slip to a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Stockport that afternoon.

Ferguson left London Road without meeting the media, but MacAnthony insisted on speaking to the ET to explain his decision. It was the first of many passionate and persuasive conversastions the new chairman would have with the local media.

“Listen,” he barked down the phone from his Florida home. “I interviewed many candidates over the phone and Darren was by far and away the most impressive.

“You wouldn’t believe what some candidates wanted to talk to me about. One wanted to know how much money he could make from transfers and signings, but I am not into that sort of deal.

“I wanted a manager who shared my vision for the future. Darren’s application came out of the blue, but we had some great conversations.

“He had firm ideas on everything from warm downs, warm ups, game tactics and diets. He even asked me for 10 match dvds so he could start preparing for the future straight away.

“I told him the l ast 10 games were a horror show, but he watched them anyway.

“Darren showed passion, hunger and desire and I like that in my employees. He also displayed a ruthless streak which I thought might come in handy.

“Believe it or not his father didn’t come up in any discussion, but I reckon it can’t do any harm that he is related to a managerial legend. I’ve gone with my gut with this appointment, but I am confident it will work out. “

With that the phone went dead and this reporter went to file copy that suggested the chairman had made his first serious mistake.

Tyrone Barnett.