Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: LTA on April 11, 2015, 10:15:07 PM

Title: Alan McInally
Post by: LTA on April 11, 2015, 10:15:07 PM
I think he left us a few months before our first game, but Alan McInally has always seemed a fans favourite among our fans.  How good was he compared to other forwards we've had?
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: PeterWithesShin on April 11, 2015, 10:17:54 PM
For about 5 months he was brilliant, apart from that he was a bit meh.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: villan from luton on April 11, 2015, 10:22:42 PM
He had one excellent season, but he was a player who always looked as if he enjoyed playing for our beloved club and his comments on sky show that. Apparently apologised today for saying "we" about Villa but then said he will always have a great feeling for the club
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: PeterWithesShin on April 11, 2015, 10:25:26 PM
He had one excellent season, but he was a player who always looked as if he enjoyed playing for our beloved club and his comments on sky show that. Apparently apologised today for saying "we" about Villa but then said he will always have a great feeling for the club

It wasn't even a good season, it was a fantastic 4 months and then he scored twice after Boxing Day. Previous season he scored 4 in 26. As I say, apart from that spell he was a bit meh. I still like him though.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: LTA on April 11, 2015, 10:26:43 PM
I do remember when we drew 4 4 at Chelsea under MON that he was practically doing a conga around the sky studio.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: dave.woodhall on April 11, 2015, 10:28:04 PM
He built his career, as PWS says, around four months. He didn't do much at Celtic, he didn't do much more in his first year or his last five months with us.  He started okay at Bayern but got found out there quickly. 
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: leylandalbion on April 11, 2015, 10:28:56 PM
It's onlys because his name fitted well in a good original song. Stainrod was as good.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: villan from luton on April 11, 2015, 10:32:36 PM
Well I thought he was a great bloke and decent player
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: PeterWithesShin on April 11, 2015, 10:34:52 PM
It does have to be said it was a fucking great 4 months! But it was still only 4 months.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: leylandalbion on April 11, 2015, 10:37:23 PM
The club seems to embrace people with heart. I think even when the beast leaves us he will talk of his Times at the villa.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: walsall villain on April 11, 2015, 10:42:28 PM
It's onlys because his name fitted well in a good original song. Stainrod was as good.
Bloody hell, can't agree with that. Stainrod was absolutely shit.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: PeterWithesShin on April 11, 2015, 10:44:26 PM
It's onlys because his name fitted well in a good original song. Stainrod was as good.
Bloody hell, can't agree with that. Stainrod was absolutely shit.

21 goals in all competitions in first season with us. I'd love all our strikers to be that shit!
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: leylandalbion on April 11, 2015, 10:46:22 PM
I bet he scored nearly as many as mcinally. I actualy meant Paul rideout. A family from Swindon used to follow villa because of him....happy days on the holte with a Milk crate
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: dave.woodhall on April 11, 2015, 10:46:42 PM
It's onlys because his name fitted well in a good original song. Stainrod was as good.
Bloody hell, can't agree with that. Stainrod was absolutely shit.

21 goals in all competitions in first season with us. I'd love all our strikers to be that shit!

Mostly against shite teams in the League Cup.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: walsall villain on April 11, 2015, 10:47:37 PM
It's onlys because his name fitted well in a good original song. Stainrod was as good.
Bloody hell, can't agree with that. Stainrod was absolutely shit.


21 goals in all competitions in first season with us. I'd love all our strikers to be that shit!
Don't you start baffling me with facts, my memory is that he was shit and Mcinally was better.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: villan from luton on April 11, 2015, 10:49:29 PM
It does have to be said it was a fucking great 4 months! But it was still only 4 months.

I do wish I had had a great fucking four months, a week would have been good tbh
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: leylandalbion on April 11, 2015, 10:52:25 PM
Rambo. It all fitted at the time. He was a good battering ram.   I don't recall much finesse
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: castlefields_villan on April 12, 2015, 12:05:40 AM
"spinksy" (his name was Nigel "SPINK") and Birchy (RIP) plus AM - yes they did us fine - and after that i'm not bothered about being friends with .....................................
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on April 12, 2015, 12:32:54 AM
He actually did ok at Bayern, won the Bundesliga, and got to the semi-finals of the European Cup (he scored in one of the legs).  His career was ended by injury rather than because he was "found out".

If he'd have stayed with us, we might have won the League in 89/90 - he was much more mobile than Olney; and would have saved us from the bag of shite that was Cascarino.

Still, he didn't do enough to be classed as a Villa legend though.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: villan from luton on April 12, 2015, 12:37:37 AM
Rambo. It all fitted at the time. He was a good battering ram.   I don't recall much finesse

?
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: villan from luton on April 12, 2015, 12:39:14 AM
He actually did ok at Bayern, won the Bundesliga, and got to the semi-finals of the European Cup (he scored in one of the legs).  His career was ended by injury rather than because he was "found out".

If he'd have stayed with us, we might have won the League in 89/90 - he was much more mobile than Olney; and would have saved us from the bag of shite that was Cascarino.

Still, he didn't do enough to be classed as a Villa legend though.

Ifs and but however I think you may be right lol
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: dave.woodhall on April 12, 2015, 12:41:44 AM
He actually did ok at Bayern, won the Bundesliga, and got to the semi-finals of the European Cup (he scored in one of the legs).  His career was ended by injury rather than because he was "found out".

If he'd have stayed with us, we might have won the League in 89/90 - he was much more mobile than Olney; and would have saved us from the bag of shite that was Cascarino.

Still, he didn't do enough to be classed as a Villa legend though.

He was with us for two seasons and did nothing for 1 1/2 of them. Good nickname, though.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: The Left Side on April 12, 2015, 04:11:39 AM
Met him at Cheltenham and he loves the Villa and our fans.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Deano's Mullet on April 12, 2015, 06:40:12 AM
McInally was brilliant - for that half a season. Theres a good reason he was called Rambo. When he was on it I'd say he was as good as Benteke on top form. As it was he was a bit like Angel who had two decent seasons out of five or six - on top form he was unstoppable but he needed to do it all the time. McInally and Platt were the first two regular Villa scorers when I got in to football properly so I will always be fond of them. And unlike Platt, McInally has always been proud and happy to show off allegiances to Villa.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Richard E on April 12, 2015, 06:55:15 AM
The goals he got in that half season when he was on his game for us made the difference between us staying up and going straight back down to Division Two so I can't knock him. And that League Cup goal against Milwall is one of my all time faves.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: pooligan on April 12, 2015, 06:58:31 AM
Had a really good half season with us as i recall it and then i believe he was tapped up by Bayern and never seemed the same . I must say i have never heard him say a bad word about the Villa and he does seem happy to see Villa do well
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: peter w on April 12, 2015, 07:07:53 AM
I don't agree that he only did well for 4 months as he was an important part of the 2nd division team that went up after his arrival. Was Shrewsbury away his debut? Or when the My old man song started? Anyway, he scored then and didn't he score a few around that time? Yeah, I recall him having a good spell in Div 2 and then was on fire at the start of the season in Div 1. Fizzled out, as did the whole side, after Christmas though.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: AlexAlexCropley on April 12, 2015, 11:27:00 AM
Well in my eyes he was one level short of legend status.He empowered us and I will never forget some of his powering runs esp in our promotion year.Like a cross between Keith Leonard and Benteke.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Damo70 on April 12, 2015, 11:29:08 AM
Me and our group (of fans who followed Villa home and away - I wasn't in a band) renamed him Dumbo in his first season. He didn't seem to understand the offside rule. I think we did a good deal for him in the end. I was at a game with my mate a few years back when he emerged from a side door in the Doug stand , grabbed a blokes pint, necked it and thanked him. The bloke was chuffed. It made his day. Stainrod had talent but was a flibberty gibbet. Typical cockney wide boy.

Even if he was from Sheffield.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on April 12, 2015, 12:47:59 PM
McInally was brilliant - for that half a season. Theres a good reason he was called Rambo. When he was on it I'd say he was as good as Benteke on top form. As it was he was a bit like Angel who had two decent seasons out of five or six - on top form he was unstoppable but he needed to do it all the time. McInally and Platt were the first two regular Villa scorers when I got in to football properly so I will always be fond of them. And unlike Platt, McInally has always been proud and happy to show off allegiances to Villa.

Whilst it's a shame that Platt doesn't kiss our arses on national TV, he'll always be a bona-fide Villa legend in my eyes; and several leagues above McInally.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: PeterWithesShin on April 12, 2015, 12:52:16 PM
I don't agree that he only did well for 4 months as he was an important part of the 2nd division team that went up after his arrival. Was Shrewsbury away his debut? Or when the My old man song started? Anyway, he scored then and didn't he score a few around that time? Yeah, I recall him having a good spell in Div 2 and then was on fire at the start of the season in Div 1. Fizzled out, as did the whole side, after Christmas though.

He scored 4 in 26 in Division 2. His debut was a month before the Shrewsbury game and he didn't score.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: dave.woodhall on April 12, 2015, 12:59:44 PM
History's a lot kinder to some players than others.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: jcsutv on April 12, 2015, 01:05:14 PM
Anyone remember his miss from 1 yard when he ended up on his arse. I think it was in the fog against Huddersfield.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: WarszaVillan on April 12, 2015, 01:14:10 PM
He was even dropped later on during the promotion season. I remember Platt taking his place on his debt away to Blackburn, when he scored (noone in the crowd was actually sure if it was Platt or the other recent signing Gareth Williams as I remember).
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Confusious says on April 12, 2015, 01:17:03 PM
Alan Mcinally scored a solo goal running the length of the pitch from the Holte end beating
About 8 tackles to score in the Witton, after he was sold on a return to Villa he apparently
Took Doug to task about ambition and the motive to sell him was purely Money! Sounds like he was happy with us.
Saw Stainrods debut in Cup away at Exeter, he scored 4 if memory is correct
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: KevinGage on April 12, 2015, 02:08:53 PM
Had a really good half season with us as i recall it and then i believe he was tapped up by Bayern and never seemed the same . I must say i have never heard him say a bad word about the Villa and he does seem happy to see Villa do well

He sullied it a bit for me with that "Villa fans never gave McLeish a chance" pish.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: jcsutv on April 12, 2015, 02:11:24 PM
I couldn't believe we got £1m for him. Superb business.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: LTA on April 12, 2015, 04:20:21 PM
Had a really good half season with us as i recall it and then i believe he was tapped up by Bayern and never seemed the same . I must say i have never heard him say a bad word about the Villa and he does seem happy to see Villa do well

He sullied it a bit for me with that "Villa fans never gave McLeish a chance" pish.

He's big mates with McLeish (and Lambert come to that), I guess he always going to stick up for them, despite the mountain of evidence against them
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: West Derby Villan on April 12, 2015, 04:29:15 PM
Top guy, met him once in a restaurant in Amsterdam. Was quite happy to chat about the Villa for about twenty minutes and obviously cared about us. He also told me that he didn't want to leave us but the deal was done before he was told of any interest in him
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: simboy on April 12, 2015, 04:41:52 PM
We never got the friendly against Bayern that was rumoured to be part of his transfer fee.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on April 12, 2015, 07:23:18 PM
I couldn't believe we got £1m for him. Superb business.

We spent £1.5m on Cascarino the following season...
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Fingers on April 12, 2015, 07:25:07 PM
Good bloke McInally but Benteke's got far more talent and finesse.  No comparison. 
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on April 12, 2015, 07:45:44 PM
Good bloke McInally but Benteke's got far more talent and finesse.  No comparison. 

To be fair, that's true of 99% of the strikers that have played for us.

However, he was pretty decent compared with his replacements, Olney and Cascarino*.  Imagine if we'd have had McInally up front for the 89/90 title challenge - stronger, quicker, more mobile, more experienced, and already integrated into the first team.  He might just have been the difference between the title and trailing off into second place.


*and Ormondroyd!
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: PeterWithesShin on April 12, 2015, 07:48:28 PM
I think it was just a case of an average player hit a freak 4 months spell. He did nothing close to those 4 months before or after.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on April 12, 2015, 07:53:49 PM
From wiki:

Quote
Bayern Munich
McInally's form for Aston Villa and Scotland caught the eye of German giants Bayern Munich, who were sufficiently impressed by McInally's overall season to bid a record fee for them at the time of £1.2 Million to take McInally to the Bundesliga. The Bayern attack was revamped for the 1989–90 season, with the Yugoslav Radmilo Mihajlović also bought in expensively as Bayern went to defend their Bundesliga crown and make headway in the European Cup.

McInally – now nicknamed Big Mac by the Bayern fans – began well in the Bundesliga, proving a handful for the defences, but then the referees clamped down on his style and his disciplinary record suffered. He was a regular throughout this season, but halfway through, the Bayern management decided that this strikeforce was not what they wanted and began to look for replacements for McInally and Mihajlović. At the end of his first season, McInally helped Bayern to the league title, and scored ten goals in his 31 league games, a respectable tally in his first season abroad. He also helped Bayern to the semi finals of the European Cup, where they fell to AC Milan, despite McInally's goal in the second leg in Munich.

In the 1990–91 season, McInally was now deemed a reserve at Bayern (Mihailjovic had now been sold), but he was regularly given a run out in Europe, where he scored some goals in the early rounds of the European Cup. Bayern were willing to let him go, and Chelsea came in for him, but McInally turned them down, preferring to fight on in Munich. This season, he only played seven goalless games in the league, and was unable to help Bayern to get past Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup semi final, despite a battering ram cameo performance in the first leg in Munich. This season was effectively McInally's last as a top level professional, as he began to succumb to injury.

McInally only managed two league games for Bayern in the 1991–92 season, before suffering a long term knee injury. This injury ended his time with the German giants, who supported McInally until his contract ran out with them at the end of the 1992–93 season.

So it seems like he performed at a decent level the following season, and then deemed not good enough for Bayern Munich, which isn't exactly damning; before his career was ended by injury.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: PeterWithesShin on April 12, 2015, 07:57:03 PM
He was 1 in 3 with Ayr, 1 in 4 for Celtic, 1 in 3 for us, 1 in 4 for Bayern. That's pretty average for a striker.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on April 12, 2015, 08:02:34 PM
He was 1 in 3 with Ayr, 1 in 4 for Celtic, 1 in 3 for us, 1 in 4 for Bayern. That's pretty average for a striker.

I'm not saying he was Gerd Muller; I'm saying he was better than the alternatives at the time, and better than who we bought to replace him.

And he had more to his game than just goals, he was a physical threat, and pretty mobile too.  And we had David Platt to score the goals.


Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: pauliewalnuts on April 13, 2015, 12:05:39 AM
He was 1 in 3 with Ayr, 1 in 4 for Celtic, 1 in 3 for us, 1 in 4 for Bayern. That's pretty average for a striker.

I'm not saying he was Gerd Muller; I'm saying he was better than the alternatives at the time, and better than who we bought to replace him.

Surely that's damning with the absolute faintest of praise, given some of the utter fucking dross we bought at the time.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Hillbilly on April 13, 2015, 01:08:10 AM
When I feel ill-disposed to any Villa player, I think of John Fashanu and suddenly I feel good about the rest.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Deano's Mullet on April 13, 2015, 07:48:06 AM
  Rambo on Saint and Greavsie

   McInally Millwall game
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Chico Hamilton III on April 13, 2015, 09:49:27 AM
When I feel ill-disposed to any Villa player, I think of John Fashanu and suddenly I feel good about the rest.

Awoogaaa!!!!
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Deano's Mullet on April 13, 2015, 09:50:29 AM
Fashanu and a disinterested Dalian up front. Ugh.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Damo70 on April 13, 2015, 12:50:40 PM
He was even dropped later on during the promotion season. I remember Platt taking his place on his debt away to Blackburn, when he scored (noone in the crowd was actually sure if it was Platt or the other recent signing Gareth Williams as I remember).

David Platt and Gareth Williams. One went to Bari and Sampdoria and the other went to Barnsley and Scarborough.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Tokyo Sexwhale on April 13, 2015, 12:58:26 PM
He was 1 in 3 with Ayr, 1 in 4 for Celtic, 1 in 3 for us, 1 in 4 for Bayern. That's pretty average for a striker.

I'm not saying he was Gerd Muller; I'm saying he was better than the alternatives at the time, and better than who we bought to replace him.

Surely that's damning with the absolute faintest of praise, given some of the utter fucking dross we bought at the time.

I'm just trying to place him in his proper context - he was a pretty decent player for us, and could have been the difference in the 1989/90 season; but didn't do enough to be deserving of "legend" status. 
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Damo70 on April 13, 2015, 01:06:01 PM
His goals kept us up that season even though he did 'declare' at Christmas.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: tomd2103 on April 19, 2015, 07:54:26 AM
We never got the friendly against Bayern that was rumoured to be part of his transfer fee.

Who can blame seeing how our previous meeting with them ended!!
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Louzie0 on April 19, 2015, 08:00:29 AM
Always liked Alan McInally.
Think he's compelling on Sky. 

It's his enthusiasm. I love that. Go forth and prosper, I say.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: peter w on April 22, 2015, 08:57:59 PM
I don't agree that he only did well for 4 months as he was an important part of the 2nd division team that went up after his arrival. Was Shrewsbury away his debut? Or when the My old man song started? Anyway, he scored then and didn't he score a few around that time? Yeah, I recall him having a good spell in Div 2 and then was on fire at the start of the season in Div 1. Fizzled out, as did the whole side, after Christmas though.

He scored 4 in 26 in Division 2. His debut was a month before the Shrewsbury game and he didn't score.

Thought he scored in front of the away fans. I've no idea which game I'm thinking about then.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: LeeB on April 23, 2015, 11:40:39 AM
I loved him, my first proper hero. And came over and shook my hand as a starstruck 11 year old at Swindon, whilst I was squashed up the fence.
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: SirSteveUK on April 23, 2015, 09:44:38 PM
That goal against Millwall stands up reasonably well in comparison to Dalians or JPA's
Title: Re: Alan McInally
Post by: Damo70 on April 25, 2015, 11:19:09 AM
I don't agree that he only did well for 4 months as he was an important part of the 2nd division team that went up after his arrival. Was Shrewsbury away his debut? Or when the My old man song started? Anyway, he scored then and didn't he score a few around that time? Yeah, I recall him having a good spell in Div 2 and then was on fire at the start of the season in Div 1. Fizzled out, as did the whole side, after Christmas though.

He scored 4 in 26 in Division 2. His debut was a month before the Shrewsbury game and he didn't score.

Thought he scored in front of the away fans. I've no idea which game I'm thinking about then.



His first goal was away at Oldham in the November. I remembered that as I was there. I couldn't remember when his delayed debut was. I was guessing around November but I looked it up and it was at home to Blackburn at the end of September. He scored on his ninth appearance and got four goals in 26 games the season we went up. I was surprised as I thought he had scored more than that.
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