Lee's loan the shortest? Not quite!

  • by Staff Writer
  • Thursday, 6th November 2014

Elliot Lee's ill-fated loan at Southend lasted approximately one hour of one training session before he sustained a hamstring injury.

The 19-year-old striker is likely to be out of action for between six to eight weeks as a result of the injury sustained on his first day of training with the Shrimpers.

However his loan spell was far from the shortest involving West Ham United.

Back in January 2004, Alan Pardew signed Anthony Barness on a month-long loan from (Sam Allardyce's) Bolton Wanderers. Yet before he even had the chance to kick a ball with his new team mates, Barness was recalled to the Reebok Stadium as the result of an injury crisis.

Speaking at the time, Bolton boss Allardyce said: "I tried all week to bring in a defender. Unfortunately, I have not been able to do that."

Former Hammer Robert Hall, now at Bolton was likewise denied the opportunity to join his new team mates when he was recalled from a 2011 loan at Oxford just 24 hours after agreeing to extend a month-loan loan spell at the Kassam Stadium, as the result of an injury crisis at the Boleyn.

However the title of shortest permanent signing almost certainly belongs to Argentine defender Mauricio Taricco, who terminated his contract with West Ham by mutual consent just six days after joining the club from Tottenham in 2004.

Having started the first game to be played since joining West Ham - a 1-0 defeat at Millwall - Taricco lasted just 27 minutes before pulling up with torn hamstring. He subsequently agreed for his contract to be terminated and immediately retired from professional football.


Oh won't you stay, just a little bit longer? The shortest stays

1. Anthony Barness (Bolton to West Ham, loan)
Barness was recalled 24 hours after leaving Bolton.

2. Robert Hall (West Ham to Oxford, loan)
Recalled to West Ham 24 hours after extending an existing loan agreement.

3. Elliot Lee (West Ham to Southend, loan)
Broke down less than an hour into his first training session.

4. Mauricio Taricco (Spurs to West Ham)
Played for 27 minutes before tearing a hamstring.

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