Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Des Little on January 14, 2012, 06:56:09 PM

Title: Mystery Man
Post by: Des Little on January 14, 2012, 06:56:09 PM
I know it's been discussed before on here (sorry) but who's the bloke that goes absolutely everywhere with the Villa? Long grey (white) hair, beard and duffle coat.  Seems to travel on trains too.  I've seen him for years and years in the most obscure pubs en route to matches - he can't miss any games by the look of it? 
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: TimTheVillain on January 14, 2012, 07:10:50 PM
Tom Hanks in disguise ??
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: luke25 on January 14, 2012, 07:13:10 PM
I see him at every away game I go to also the rare youth and reserve games I go to he's there too, is he real or a figment of our imagination?
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 14, 2012, 07:27:32 PM
Jesus Dave. memorably once described by DC5 as a man who could walk through a crowd of Millwall fans in a claret and blue scarf and get away unscathed. He could also leave a midweek game at full time and be on the last train home even if it left five minutes later and the station was two miles away.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: pauliewalnuts on January 14, 2012, 07:35:17 PM
"Jesus Dave" - what a fantastic name.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: wozwebs on January 14, 2012, 07:50:02 PM
Always reminds me of a wizard. Doesn't seem to age either.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Villanation on January 14, 2012, 07:52:45 PM
Always reminds me of a wizard. Doesn't seem to age either.

He's looked like that since the age of 5.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: eric woolban woolban on January 14, 2012, 08:02:34 PM
Any relation to the wolfman?
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: JJ-AV on January 14, 2012, 08:27:06 PM
He's ITK too.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: littlevillain on January 14, 2012, 08:31:41 PM
I pretty sure he sat by me on the tour of the states a few yrs back in columbus ohio..........or did he?
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Kingthing on January 14, 2012, 08:36:48 PM


Rob Yates ?
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: rob_bridge on January 14, 2012, 10:23:37 PM
This a shortish bloke who looks like he took a wrong turn trying to find the original Woodstock festival and ended up at a Villa game and has been going back ever since? If it is him then sat next to him away at Old Trafford about 12-13 years ago.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: villajk on January 14, 2012, 11:02:30 PM
Bill wyman.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Dave Clark Five on January 14, 2012, 11:09:08 PM
It is Bill Wyman.
By the way, the famous World Cup Willie was at Bristol. What a character!
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 14, 2012, 11:11:44 PM
It is Bill Wyman.
By the way, the famous World Cup Willie was at Bristol. What a character!


Last time I asked he said there were seven grounds with floodlights in England he hadn't been to.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Dave Clark Five on January 14, 2012, 11:21:24 PM
It is Bill Wyman.
By the way, the famous World Cup Willie was at Bristol. What a character!


Last time I asked he said there were seven grounds with floodlights in England he hadn't been to.
He is worried that, if we play at Cardiff, he won't get a ticket. I will personally get him a ticket.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: cheltenhamlion on January 15, 2012, 10:35:52 AM
Jesus Dave drinks in the Bartons.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air on January 15, 2012, 10:48:10 AM
(http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/kennythelad/Villa001.jpg)

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.           

Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Dave Clark Five on January 15, 2012, 11:01:36 AM
(http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/kennythelad/Villa001.jpg)

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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: PeterWithe on January 15, 2012, 11:11:09 AM
Does he live in Atherstone, I spoke to him in a cafe there if its the same fella.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: willywombat on January 15, 2012, 11:12:04 AM
That's Jesus Dave, always been here and always will be. I think he actually is God
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Nev on January 15, 2012, 11:23:56 AM
He looks more like Jimmy Page with full 70's beard.
We always sang the riff to "Whole lotta Love" whenever we saw him back in the day.

And that was quite often. He always walked at a brisk pace with the determination of one who knew just where he was going.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Clampy on January 15, 2012, 11:27:49 AM
I do most away games and i've never seen him. I shall be on 'Jesus Dave' watch next time though.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Des Little on January 15, 2012, 12:03:44 PM
Once you've seen him for the first time, you'll see him over and over again for the rest of your life.  In the most obscure places too. 
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 15, 2012, 12:27:59 PM
Once you've seen him for the first time, you'll see him over and over again for the rest of your life.  In the most obscure places too. 

But you never see him walking. He just appears, magically.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: nodge on January 15, 2012, 12:37:26 PM
He now sits near me in block B6 where all the complimentary tickets seem to be.  Like Dave says, he seems to float up the steps just before kick off and I don't think I've ever seen him speak to anyone.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Greg N'Ash on January 15, 2012, 12:52:33 PM
You sure he's real? Could be a non-fixed apparition of a former fan, or possibly a mass shared psychic illusion generated by those expecting to see him. Someone should try to touch him.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: frank on January 15, 2012, 01:00:28 PM
Jesus Dave drinks in the Bartons.
..and is a very nice chap, always very friendly
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Dave Clark Five on January 15, 2012, 01:28:27 PM
(http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/7642/photoqi.png) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/809/photoqi.png/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)


Here he is, standing in the background. I know he looks nothing like Bill Wyman but we have called him that for over 30 years so maybe he did once.
This was taken in an excellent pub in Bolton last season, I think.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: frank on January 15, 2012, 01:46:35 PM
This was taken in an excellent pub in Bolton last season, I think.
Or Blackburn?
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Dave Clark Five on January 15, 2012, 01:51:34 PM
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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: frank on January 15, 2012, 01:53:18 PM
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
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: old man villa fan on January 15, 2012, 02:08:11 PM
(http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/qq226/kennythelad/Villa001.jpg)

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!
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Dave Clark Five on January 15, 2012, 03:46:55 PM
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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: old man villa fan on January 15, 2012, 05:04:55 PM
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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: lennythekad on January 15, 2012, 07:14:43 PM
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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: cdbearsfan on January 15, 2012, 07:17:09 PM
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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Somniloquism on January 15, 2012, 07:32:39 PM
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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: lennythekad on January 15, 2012, 07:37:42 PM
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.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: pauliewalnuts on January 15, 2012, 07:42:13 PM
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
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: Dave Clark Five on January 15, 2012, 09:20:26 PM
Chris Harrison, Peter Voake and Peter Gould are also on there.
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: old man villa fan on January 15, 2012, 09:26:53 PM
H - back row 3rd from right?
Title: Re: Mystery Man
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 15, 2012, 09:32:31 PM
H - back row 3rd from right?

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