Craig Bellamy and the top 10 second tier superstars
Craig Bellamy showed everyone he still has the ability to shock even when there isn't a golf club in sight yesterday when he joined Cardiff City.
Despite enjoying one of his best season's ever last term, and with a clutch of Premier League clubs desperate to sign him, Bellers opted to drop down to the Championship for a season with his boyhood club.
But which other players have snubbed the top flight for a spell in the division below while still in their prime? Here's MirrorFootball's top 10 second tier superstars.
1) Dave Mackay - Tottenham to Derby County
Conventional wisdom said Mackay's legs were gone after a stellar career at Tottenham where he won the league title and three FA Cup medals, and he was all set to sign for Hearts as player/manager when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor swooped in and persuaded him to join their Derby County revival in1968. Clough switched him to a sweeper role and he became the fulcrum of the side that immediately won promotion as champions.
2) Bobby Moore - West Ham to Fulham
After 15 years service at West Ham Moore left for second division Fulham in 1974 when he was just 32-years-old. It was far from semi-retirement for England's only World Cup winning captain though and he soon found himself leading an unlikely charge to the FA Cup final in 1975 where, as fate would have it, his beloved Hammers were waiting to dish out a 2-0 defeat.
3) Alan Mullery - Tottenham to Fulham
Another former England man who joined the Cottagers under boss Alec Stock in the 1970s, Mullery was just 31 when he swapped First Division Spurs for Second Division Fulham. Stayed for four years and was a key part of the side that were FA Cup runners-up in 1975.
4) Peter Osgood - Chelsea to Southampton
Dubbed 'The Wizard of Os' by Chelsea fans, Osgood was a hero at Stamford Bridge after scoring the goals that fired the Blues to FA Cup victory in 1970 and European Cup Winners' Cup glory the following year - the latter against the mighty Real Madrid. Just a couple of years later he dropped down to the second tier to join Lawrie McMenemy's Southampton, after falling out with Chelsea boss Dave Sexton. He helped the Saints win the FA Cup in 1976 but left in 1977 just before the club were promoted back to the top flight.
5) Kevin Keegan - Southampton to Newcastle
KK stunned the football world when he signed for Saints in 1980, and he did it again two years later when he dropped down a league and joined Second Division Newcastle United for one last mission. Became an instant hero on Tyneside as he helped get the club promoted back to the top flight in his last season as a player.
6) Allan Simonsen - Barcelona to Charlton Athletic
When Diego Maradona signed for Barcelona in 1983 few could have predicted the impact it would have on little old, Second Division Charlton Athletic. Miffed at having to compete with El Diego and Bernd Schuster for one of only two spots available to foreign players in the Barca team, Simonsen - European Footballer of the Year in 1977 - upped sticks and swapped the Nou Camp for the Valley, snubbing Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur in the process. Scored nine times in 16 games for the Addicks before they sold him back to his hometown club Vejle BK.
7) Glenn Hoddle - Monaco to Swindon Town
The Hod won a French First Division title and French cup under Arsene Wenger at Monaco but decided to come home in 1991 and signed for Chelsea on a non-contract basis, before almost immediately snubbing the fancy top flight for gritty Second Division Swindon Town, where he took over as player/manager. Played himself as a sweeper and led the club to promotion at his first attempt.
8) Paul Merson - Arsenal to Middlesbrough
Everyone has their price, and Merse's turned out to be double what Arsenal were offering him. The England man was playing regularly in Arsene Wenger's side but Boro chairman Steve Gibson was desperate to lead the club back to the top flight and flashed enough cash to lure him north in 1997. He helped get the club promoted the following season and picked up a load of cash in the process. Meanwhile Arsenal won the Double the year after he left.
9) Paul Gasgoigne - Glasgow Rangers to Middlesbrough
Another big name brought to Boro thanks to Gibson's millions, Gazza had been linked with a move to then-Premier League Crystal Palace but chose Teesside over south London in March 1998 and helped the club to promotion, before missing out on a place in England's World Cup squad and trashing a hotel room to a Kenny G soundtrack.
10) Teddy Sheringham - Portsmouth to West Ham
After being released by Pompey after helping establish them in their first season in the Premier League, Teddy dropped down to the second tier to join the Hammers in 2004. Despite being 38 the evergreen striker won the Championship Player of the Season award after bagging 20 goals as West Ham secured promotion via the playoffs.
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