Mystery Man

[Dave Clark Five]

This was taken in an excellent pub in Bolton last season, I think.

Or Blackburn?

I thought it was the front bar of the one we went to this year.

[frank]

This was taken in an excellent pub in Bolton last season, I think.

Or Blackburn?

I thought it was the front bar of the one we went to this year.

Could well be. We've seen him at Blackburn a couple of times, I think

[old man villa fan]

I assume you are talking about the guy sat down 3rd from the right in this picture from the Gornik trip in the 1970s.

When I followed the Villa religiously home and away in the 3rd division he would always be there. Never ever spoke to him but the faces of people like his feels as much a part of my formative Villa following years as Chico Hamiltons, Ray Graydons and Andy Lochheads.

When I get to the odd away game now he is still always there. The game is more often than not at some purpose built stadium on a retail park played at some time other than Saturday 3pm, and I am forced to buy a seat in advance weeks before to ensure I can go. Going to away games now is so different, and usually not for the better. But thinking about it, if I see him wandering past me outside an away ground it all feels re-assuring.           

No. That is Fagin. I think his name is John McGovern or something similar. He used to work in Hudsons bookshop in town.

It is John McGovern aka 'The Beard'.  Was with him at Rotterdam on a train back to Amsterdam after the match.  He was taking the piss out of a Bayern Munich supporter saying they should give up playing football and take up cricket (it sounded funny at the time!).  We had a great evening and early hours of the next day in the bars of Amsterdam (from what I can remember of it).

When he went to see us play in Berlin he threw up in the flower trough at Checkpoint Charlie.

A character and if he was around you certainly heard him!

[Dave Clark Five]

OMVF. I reckon that I was on that train. The Bayern fans outnumbered us on the platform but stood there in stunned silence. Back in Amsterdam, we went in one place noted for its range of beers and I am sure Fagin was in our company.

[old man villa fan]

OMVF. I reckon that I was on that train. The Bayern fans outnumbered us on the platform but stood there in stunned silence. Back in Amsterdam, we went in one place noted for its range of beers and I am sure Fagin was in our company.

We went into the Flying Dutchman and another bar almost next door just around the corner from the Damrak first and then it got a bit hazzy after that and we were in a bar later where it seemed as though people just kept on buying us drinks.  We stayed in what was the Astoria in those days next to the Flying Dutchman.  What a few days and I am afraid for our younger supporters, something that will not be repeated.

Obviously that was the pinnacle of more modern day football for Villa but I am still undecided whether I got more satisfaction and elation from the League Championship the year before.

[lennythekad]

I originally posted the photo in question in another thread several months ago. It's taken by Terry Weir in the lobby of the Holiday Inn, Krakow on the morning of 3rd November 1977, just before we set off for home, the day after the Gornik game, and subsequently appeared in the home prog v M'boro on 12th November. I've still got the 8x6 original photo I bought off Terry.
"The Beard" iirc was one of the most laid back blokes I've ever met and had a really dry sense of humour.

[cdbearsfan]

The one in the middle of the above picture, wearing a leather jacket, looks suspiciously like Trevor Francis. Could they, perchance, be related? I think we should be told.

[Somniloquism]

Any relation to the wolfman?

I saw that Angelos Epithemiou the other day on the buzzcocks best of. If you haven't seen him, he is greasy and strange and gets hats and stuff out of a plastic bag. My first thought was you have ripped off your act from our Wolfie.

As an aside, does anyone know another one of our "special" fans who used to go on away days. He was quite old and big and either had a speech impediment or was not all there. I remember him on a couple of coach away trips in the 90's and felt sorry for anyone who sat next to him ( and him of course) as he was trying to chat with then all trip but they couldn't understand him.

[lennythekad]

The one in the middle of the above picture, wearing a leather jacket, looks suspiciously like Trevor Francis. Could they, perchance, be related? I think we should be told.

That's Dave Birt, who was from Lichfield at the time, and my main travelling partner in those days. Directly behind him is Dave Bridgewater, who has worked for the club for several years now and who writes the articles in the programme, about old progs, from time to time. He married the girl fifth from the right on the back row, Pam.

[pauliewalnuts]

I saw that Angelos Epithemiou the other day on the buzzcocks best of. If you haven't seen him, he is greasy and strange and gets hats and stuff out of a plastic bag. My first thought was you have ripped off your act from our Wolfie.

I was about to enquire as to whether the bloke second from right with thumb up was Angelos Epithemiou

[Dave Clark Five]

Chris Harrison, Peter Voake and Peter Gould are also on there.

[old man villa fan]

H - back row 3rd from right?

[dave.woodhall]

H - back row 3rd from right?

That's him. Who is it next to him who looks like Bruce Rioch?