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... and gone on to better things.

I remember reading an interview with Nicky Weaver in the M.E.N. about five years ago when he was David James's understudy. He was going on about how he was reluctant to leave City as it seemed that players' careers only went downhill after doing so. This has got me thinking... How many players have left City and actually gone on to better things?

I suppose an argument can be made that Distin did in the short-term by winning the FA Cup, but a year later it looked like a shit decision to leave. Shauny when he went to Chelsea... didn't really work out. Anelka ended up at Chelsea and won trophies there, but only via Turkey and Bolton. Kinky disappeared off the map, Gary Flitcroft never hit the same heights at Blackburn. Dickson Etuhu dropped a bollock and Steve Lomas played out a career of wholehearted mediocrity.

Can anyone name one player whose career genuinely took off after leaving us? Answers on a postcard.

van Buyten, but he was only on loan.

mr_nool wrote:van Buyten, but he was only on loan.

I suppose it counts as we could've signed him permanently had we wanted to.

Maybe Niall Quinn too, as he dodged playing in the old first by diving out when he did. But were his best years at City or Sunderland? Tough one.

Paul Stewart. Went up a division to Spurs, converted to midfield and won the FA Cup scoring in the final. Then got capped by England and got another big money move to Liverpool - then it went to pot for him.

Paul Power won a Div 1 Championship medal at Everto in his career twilight which was his highest honour.

does sturridge count? no trophies but he's gotten more PT than he would have here and is prob a lock for the euros.

carlos tevez

We've a fairly long history of signing relatively old players a lot of the time (Fowler, Reyna, M Ball, Pearce, Mills, Hamann, Sinclair) so it would be a rare enough thing in some ways.

Bellamy is going well at Liverpool, Adebayor is important for spurs. Dunne has proven himself a fantastic signing. David James had a load of England caps. Anelka would definitely count.

Hart left on loan and might have been on the way out the door if he hadn't played too well. Should that count?

Geovanni, of course. Robinho won Serie A. Elano has continued to get caps for Brazil.

We had Rieira on loan too but we didn't rate him enough to try and sign him.

and Caicedo.

JO!!!!

Colin Hendry did really well for himself when he parted company with us, quality player.

Robinho? Serie A winner last year

Glenn Whelan? Worked his way to a Premier League regular from the third division

Michael Brown? Premier League Journyman

Tyrone Mears? OK i'll stop

Green & Blue wrote:Colin Hendry did really well for himself when he parted company with us, quality player.

Best shout so far. Peter Reid rated Steve Redmond a better centre half - for that decision alone, likely based on Redmond's "scouseness" quality, Reid deserved the boot.

Andy Hinchcliffe? Not sure about necessarily doing significantly better, but he might have won the FA Cup with Everton.

Jerome Boateng

Denis Law?

Denis Law?

Matt Busby.

Henry and Caicedo are definitely good shouts. Boateng potentially as well. I still wish we'd let him have a proper go at CB.

Dave Bennett won the FAC with Coventry .

Neil Lennon