Darren Bent would have been a wonderful signing for the Magpies five or six years ago. Or indeed, had they placed their faith in the £2.5 million-rated Ipswich Town striker nine years ago, instead of splurging all that money on Michael Owen, the clubs fortunes might have been so different. With 63 strikes in 126 league games for Charlton Athletic and Sunderland - his time at White Hart Lane was admittedly a disappointment but not through much fault of his own - Bent established himself as one of the top-flights most clinical marksmen. If ever there was a summer not to sign him, however, it was last years. He may be only 30 years old, but he looks like a shadow of the player who was consistently terrorising defences each week in the Stadium of Light. Having not taken his omission from the Villa first-team well, Bent has subsequently piled on the pounds, with all form and fitness deserting him. Bent was a walking hand grenade as to who was going to be landed with him last summer, and its no surprise that Fulham ultimately sank into the Championship with him on board.
''It was very obvious that I thought he would do well here. Obviously you cant have contact with the player, but I know Darren well enough to think we had something which he was going to enjoy. Were the Sunderland links a factor? Possibly, yes, and maybe the profile of this club. It is bigger than Fulham, thats just a fact. But he has opted for Fulham and perhaps that is the safer option.
It may have been viewed as safe, but the former England international was walking into a tornado of chaos, where he would contribute a pathetic three goals in 24 appearances before returning to Villa Park.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
