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Transfer sagas always make villains out of players. In most cases, fans learn to forgive their heroes for moving to different clubs. In some cases however, the fans retain a grudge.
Especially when the players whose names they sing on the terraces decide to move to their rivals - it is often an unforgivable sin. Many times players avoid joining rivals to leave a large section of the fans antagonized. Sometimes, even a rash comment is enough to tarnish the reputation of the player.
We look at 5 seriously controversial transfers in British football. These are the players who made the dreaded leap into controversy.:
#5 Ashley Cole (Arsenal to Chelsea)
Ashley Cole was an integral part of the Arsenal side that went a season unbeaten in 2003-04. He had already won multiple honours with the North London side when in 2005, he became involved in a major transfer saga with Chelsea.
Chelsea were accused of making illegal contact with Cole, who went ahead and met with Chelsea reps without Arsenal's permission. He was fined heavily by the Premier League for his misconduct and spent the rest of that season at Arsenal.
In the very next summer window, Cole moved to Chelsea, but not before he accused Arsenal of scapegoating and mistreating him. Excerpts from his autobiography were published in The Sun, where the allegations of Arsenal's mistreatment of Cole were made. These words angered Arsenal fans further.
Cole also claimed that Arsenal had not offered him enough money, which is why, he refused to sign a new contract.
Cole's transfer was even more heated as he ended up leaving for just £5 million and a part exchange deal with William Gallas. it is safe to say that Cole is never going to be warmly welcomed in North London.
#4 Micheal Owen (Newcastle United to Manchester United, free)
When Newcastle United were relegated for the first time in 15 years, Micheal Owen, who spent four years in Tyne-side, was released after he refused to sign a new contract. He was rumoured to have had no offers because of his injury record in the couple of seasons before that.
Manchester United made a surprise move for Owen, who joined them on a pay-as-play deal. The transfer in one shot left Liverpool fans, who considered Owen a legend, furious. He was a huge component of the Liverpool team from 1996 to 2004, before he joined Newcastle in 2005. The transfer to United tarnished his reputation among Liverpool supporters. Despite Owen having tried to play down his United career to Liverpool fans, his choosing of Manchester United blackened him to them.
Since then, he has regained a little bit of respect but the adulation that he enjoyed at The Kop is long gone.
#3 Carlos Tevez (Manchester United, on loan to Manchester City)
Carlos Tevez had not one but two controversial moves in his time in England.
When Tevez signed on loan for two years at United, he proved to be a shrewd and excellent addition to the squad. He played well for the Red devils, but began moving towards a more controversial second year in Manchester. This was because his impatience at not getting a permanent contract. He spoke out to the media and hinted that he will be moving on if United didn't move fast.
At the end of the season, he rejected United's eventual offer before joining rivals Manchester City on a five year contract. Tevez instantly was celebrated at City with the fans welcoming him with a 'Welcome to Manchester' sign.
Tevez alienated the United fans by becoming the first player to switch clubs since Terry Cooke in 1999.
#2 Sol Campbell (Totteham Hotspurs to Arsenal, free)
Sol Campbell was a Tottenham Hotspur favourite in 1999. He was the club captain who led them to League Cup victory.
In his ninth season with the Spurs, Campbell was injured for three months and his contract was due to expire. The North London team offered him a contract that was the highest in their history. Campbell, however, refused to sign it, claiming he needed to play Champions League football. This course of action was suggested to him by the new England boss, Sven Gorn-Erikssen. Spurs fans didn't begrudge him too much despite being annoyed that he would leave on a Bosman.
Then he signed for Arsenal out of the blue, with no earlier link and rumour linking him to the team. Campbell had earlier stated that he would never play for Arsenal but still signed for them, rejecting better financial offers from equally bigger clubs across the continent.
From that moment on he became 'Judas' at Spurs.
#1 Mo Johnston (Nantes to Rangers)
Mo Johnston played for Celtic before he left for France in 1984. He claimed he never wished to return to Scotland when he joined Nantes.
In 1989 he claimed that he would sign for Celtic once more after deciding it was not a bad deal to return to Scotland. He then announced a few days later that he had chosen to join Greame Souness' Rangers side.
The move was shocking to Celtic fans because he had chosen Rangers over them. But even more controversial was the fact that he was the first Catholic player to appear for them since World War I. This meant a great deal to both sets of supporters. He was 'Judas' to Celtic supporters, who mocked him and threatened him. Many Rangers fans were extremely angered as well and many threatened to boycott the club.
Johnston's move was so controversial that the Rangers kitman refused to give him a kit and made him do it himself. He was also not given chocolates by staff when they were dispensed to players. It took until an injury time winner from him against Celtic later in the season to have some fans begin warming upto him. Eventually his performances satisfied them over a two year spell at the club.
