When Aston Villa signed Ross McCormack from Fulham in August 2016, the club thought that they were buying a proven goal scorer.
The Scotland international cost the Villans £12m, but that was insignificant if he were to fire them back into the Premier League after a season’s absence.
The striker had scored 66 goals in the Championship in his previous three seasons, and was a leading goalscorer in the league. This would be the man to mount the club’s title challenge.
The fans knew this, and they took to Twitter to praise the signing, with very few downplaying the importance he would have at the club. Many truly believed that the Scot would earn the club promotion.
This is what the fans had to say:
🙂 great signing for us
— Kieran Marks (@KieranMarksYT) August 4, 2016
Great signing I just hope we have not included a low release clause in the deal like usual
— Simon Butler (@simonbutler5435) August 4, 2016
at last – proven #goalscorer #UTV #AVFC
— Richard Mills (@richardmills18) August 4, 2016
what a signing he is. Good shot at getting 20+ goals. Don’t know why you didn’t get him last season!
— Ladoakes (@LukeAdrianDavid) August 4, 2016
FANTASTIC!!!!! Really happy with this. Good work Villa & @Dr_TonyXia #WelcomeRoss #onwardsandupwards
— Si (@Si_AVFC) August 4, 2016
What a signing. I’d have loved him back at Cardiff.
— Samuel (@xsamuelking) August 4, 2016
sound signing well done Villa.
— Paul Groves (@PaulGro88693970) August 4, 2016
Absolutely quality signing, couldn’t have asked for a better goal scorer to get us up again. #WelcomeRoss #AVFC
— Ethan (@EthanMiless) August 4, 2016
incredible signing finally we have a great number 10 striker again, that has changed my opinion of this season #avfc
— Tom Harding (@tomjoeharding) August 4, 2016
Fast-forward two seasons and only three goals for Villa, and it turns out that the hopeful signing did not amount to much.
The Scot struggled for fitness early on at Villa, but never captured the form he had shown in previous seasons. Three league goals in 20 appearances was a pathetic record by his standards, and the club had had enough.
The Villans loaned him to Nottingham Forest in the January after showing a poor commitment to the club. However, he only managed one goal for The Reds, causing the interest in the Scottish player from any club in England to effectively vanished.
The 13-cap international secured a loan move to A-League side Melbourne City last season, where he rediscovered his form, scoring 13 times in 15 games. He has joined fellow Australian side Gold Coast Mariners this season on loan, hoping to continue his good form. HOwever, it looks as though his time in England is up.
The saviour for Villa turned out to be an utter shambles.
