Former loan players on the move
Last updated : 17 June 2006 By Tony Scholes
 | Paul Shaw - signed for Chesterfield |
|
It's over eleven years since Mullen made his last move to try and avoid relegation back to the Second Division in 1995. After less than inspirational moves for John Gayle, Andy Saville and Paul Stewart he brought Arsenal youngster Paul Shaw to the Turf on loan.
He did well, certainly in home games, and scored on his first four Turf Moor appearances which brought us three wins. But despite his goals we were relegated with two games still to play and any possibility of him being signed permanently had gone.
His career took him to Millwall and Gillingham before he became one of a number of strikers at Bramall Lane. Shaw said yesterday: “I didn't play too many games for them because Neil Warnock likes centre forwards and had a number on the books.”
That's why, after two previous loan periods, he decided to join Rotherham on a permanent basis until the end of last season. But despite them staying up, Shaw has decided to move just a few miles down the road to Saltergate and join Chesterfield.
Until Gary Cahill's time at Burnley during the 2004/05 season it is probably fair to say that goalkeeper Andy Marriott was the most popular of loan players ever to play for the club. He was signed by Frank Casper and continued after Jimmy Mullen took over and played in that incredible run of wins under the new manager.
We desperately tried to sign him but his Forest boss Brian Clough kept changing his mind and in the end he returned to Forest. It is in the lower leagues where he has played much of his football, particularly at Wrexham and last season he was an ever present in the Torquay side that performed a late season miracle to stay in the Football League.
They were keen to keep him at Plainmoor but he'll be playing his football next season at the Staffsmart Stadium after completing a move to League Two club Boston United and his debut for them will be his 400th league appearance for his 12th club.