Appearing in the Premier League for one season only…
Only once in Premier League history have all three promoted sides gone straight back down (Barnsley, Bolton and Palace in 1997/98) and for that reason it’s unlikely that West Brom, Stoke and Hull will all make a swift return to the Championship. Then again, looking at our team comprising the three newcomers’ best players, they’ll have their work cut out. Even Bolton wouldn’t touch most of these guys…
[Now including eleventh man George Boateng, a player who always slips under the radar, which might explain how we managed to leave him out of our initial list! - Ed.]
Scott Carson (West Brom)
A season away from the spotlight will benefit the 22-year-old whose form last season was clearly affected by the scrutiny that followed his England error. Carson’s last relegation battle was with Charlton two years ago and their fans voted him Player of the Year.
Marek Cech (West Brom)
The Slovakian left-back scored the equaliser that killed off Ireland’s slim Euro 2008 qualification hopes once and for all. He ended three seasons at Porto with three league titles and arrives with Champions League experience - not that the Baggies will be needing that!
Leon Cort (Stoke)
Neil Warnock’s decision to offload Carl Cort’s younger bro couldn’t have worked out better for the centre-back, with Stoke coming to his rescue and then taking him to the Premier League. Cort has played over 150 games since his last booking in April 2004, a stunning record for a defender.
Gianni Zuiverloon (West Brom)
He scored the winner when England Under 21’s lost their lengthy penalty shootout loss to Holland in 2007 and West Brom have paid £3.2 million to prize him away from Heerenveen, despite several other Premier League clubs expressing interest.
Bernard Mendy (Hull)
Whenever newly promoted sides sign a player that fans have actually heard of it’s usually because they are past their best or have just flopped somewhere. Three-time France international may prove to be an exception though, as he is still only 26-years-old.
Geovanni (Hull)
Who could have imagined a year ago that Hull would be signing someone who Barcelona once paid over £14 million for? Geovanni scored in both league games that he started for Man City last season.
George Boateng (Hull)
An Aston Villa supporting acquaintance of The Spoiler considers Boateng his favourite ever Villa player, above more glamorous candidates like Dwight Yorke and Olof Mellberg. He’s a hard-working midfield commander, with plenty of Premier League experience.
Jonathan Greening (West Brom)
The former Manchester United man doesn’t score many goals but his passing range and versatility means he is integral to West Brom’s survival hopes. Last season he was voted into the Championship Team of the Season.
Liam Lawrence (Stoke)
The Irishman provided 15 goals from midfield last season and was Stoke’s Player of the Season. His previous season in the top-flight ended in relegation with Sunderland, so he will feel he has a point to prove.
Roman Bednar (West Brom)
The Czech striker will be expected to prove there is life after Kevin Phillips. Bednar only started 23 games last season but scored 17 so if anyone can make up the 24 goal shortfall caused by Phillips’ departure, then he’s the man.
Dave Kitson (Stoke)
The ginger striker scored eight goals in 17 league games at the start of last season with struggling Reading but managed just two in the following 17. Stoke paid £5.5 million for his services but that’s unlikely to daunt Dave ‘two shits’ Kitson.
Betting on the relegation battle? Get £30 of free bets from Ladbrokes right here, folks
17 responses so far
1 rs // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:20 am
What a great article, spot on.
What with it having TEN players and all.
Twat.
2 Yido // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:21 am
this website is so shit.
3 josh // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:27 am
Has not got a clue… dont write about what u obviously know nuthink about… You only put TEN players down u total TWAT… nice one..
4 Dekker // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:28 am
What a pointless article that basically says fuck all. Added to that there are only 10 players in the ` XI`.
Hope no one was stupid enough to pay this guy for that garbage.
5 Jonathan // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:28 am
Donkey article, donkey writer. Yawn…
6 Jonathan // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:30 am
Clearly not very keen on football, only keen on bs.
7 6000 // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:46 am
Are all those trolled-up comments from the same IP address by any chance?
Who’d have thunk it?
I think this shows that, unsurprisingly, the 3 promoted teams are going to struggle.
8 Rex // Aug 12, 2008 at 9:50 am
Your starting eleven is missing something……
It only contains ten.
9 toomey // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:02 am
pointless article! is it only me who can count 11 players! 1. Carson 2. Cech 3. Cort 4. Zuiverloon 5. Mendy 6. Geovanni 7. Boateng 8. Greening 9. Lawrence 10. Bednar and 11. Kitson
Are you people thick who have posted comments because i suggest you get back to school and learn to count again!!!
Again what a pointless article, i would be ashamed to post such dribble!!!!!
10 rs // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:04 am
Toomey - They have only just added in Boateng.
11 Kenny Cunningham // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:04 am
Is it pointless because you don’t care about any teams outside the big four?
12 Dan // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:08 am
Fucking nob rash !!
13 toomey // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:13 am
I apologise if they have only added an extra player, sorry about that!!! i didn’t mean it when i called you all thick!lol.
Kenny Cunningham: Who doesn’t care about any other team otside the big four?, the writer? If you are refering to me then you have got that wrong as i’m a season ticket holder at west brom.
14 6000 // Aug 12, 2008 at 11:12 am
Toomey - you poor bastard.
15 toomey // Aug 12, 2008 at 11:29 am
cheers mate!
16 tony // Aug 12, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Idiot article - you could pull 1o players from Bolton, Fulham, Middlesboro, Sunderland, West Ham or Newcastle and come up with the same relegation formula. Maybe learn to count and articluate properly before keying in such drivel and pressing enter. This is an insult to all us West Brom, Hull City and Stoke fans.
Crawl back under whatever stone you came out from.
17 George // Aug 12, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Honestly, this is yet another example of the lazy, ill-informed reporting which has been going on all summer.
This work experience reporter has included brand new signings as seven of his “XI”. How the hell can he say that these signings are our best players, if they haven’t even played for us? I am a West Brom fan and I find it insulting that only two of our five players in the list actually played a part in our promotion. I know KP, ZG & MA (aka FFS) have left for the bright lights of Birmingham, Fulham & Derby (WTF?), but Robinson, Kiely, Morrison and Koren are still about. I’m sure Hull and Stoke fans will feel the same about some of their “missing” heroes.
All the writer of this article has done is read who our new signings are and put them in the list.
I can’t wait for 12.15pm on Saturday, when Arsenal and Albion kick off the new Premier League season. “TWAT” will actually have something to write about then!!
Finally, one more question - SINCE WHEN HAS OLOF MELLBERG BEEN GLAMOROUS?!