Norwich boss Glenn Roeder called time on trying to sign Ameobi when he was told £2.5m was their limit.
West Brom allegedly offered £3m, and that was the end of it.
Not quite! Like Stoke City before them, Albion have had second thoughts, and Shola is still looking for a club ... with Kevin Keegan desperate for the transfer money to invest in new players.
However .... life-long Canaries fan Peter Cullum, who is said to be worth £1.7 billion, revealed he had made joint majority shareholders Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones an informal offer in October last year, when City were five points adrift at the foot of the Championship.
One Of Britain's 'Wealthiest' To Fund Ameobi Deal?
And, despite talks breaking down, Mr Cullum said the offer still stood - and revealed a vision for City's future that is sure to have fans contemplating a return to the top-flight.
He said he wanted to become majority shareholder, supported by Delia and her husband Mr Wynn Jones, and plough money into transfers.
The 57-year-old executive chairman of the award-winning Towergate Partnership, who is ranked in the top 40 of Britain's rich-list, said there was "no question of any hostility", and said he wanted to keep Delia on board as the "figurehead and icon".
"The £20m is an investment that is very unlikely to yield a good return other than emotional, and it's something I've always wanted to do."