Never go back, so they say. Which rings true in Cristiano Ronaldo’s case, but it doesn’t always go horribly wrong, These lads returned home and thrived…
Peter Beardsley (Newcastle United)
Beardsley had already left his hometown club once during his youth career when Newcastle didn’t fancy him as a teenager. So they had to pay £150,000 to bring him back in 1983, after which Beardsley spent four seasons in Newcastle’s first team, taking them back into the top flight while establishing himself as an England international.
In 1986-87, Beardsley helped Newcastle narrowly avoid relegation and when the Toon accepted a £1.7million offer – a British domestic record – he was off to Liverpool, who also recruited Beardsley’s England team-mate John Barnes from Watford during the same summer. Beardsley had four seasons at Anfield during which time he won two league titles and an FA Cup. So, with the trophy itch scratched, he was off across Stanley Park to Everton.
Beardsley fared well there too, scoring 25 goals in 81 games, but with the Toffees struggling financially they had no choice but to send Beardsley back to Newcastle in 1993 when Kevin Keegan plonked £1.5million in the table for the then-32-year-old.
It was to be a while longer before the years caught up with Beardsley – in fact, he was only just peaking. He managed another four seasons back on Tyneside, playing an average of 32 games per season, netting 47 Premier League goals including a career-high 21 in his first season back in black and white, all the while captaining Keegan’s entertainers.
Mark Hughes (Manchester United)
Hughes banged in 17 First Division goals for Manchester United during the 1985-86 season, but for much of it a summer move to Barcelona had already been agreed. United fans were furious – Hughes was a Stretford End hero – but the striker was the subject of a record £2million offer from Barca who offered a huge pay rise and European football.
Hughes joined Gary Lineker at Barca. Lineker thrived, Hughes flopped. He scored five goals in all competitions during his only season at the Nou Camp before he was loaned to Bayern Munich for 1987-88. There, Hughes scored six Bundesliga goals while rediscovering a modicum of form.
It was enough to tempt United into paying £1.6million to bring Hughes back to Old Trafford under Alex Ferguson in 1988. The centre-forward was never prolific (in seven seasons…
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