Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Hillbilly on April 23, 2019, 09:28:28 AM
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Billy McNeill has passed away aged 79. Obviously not a great figure in our history but still a significant figure in British football. RIP.
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Great player, not so good as a Manager. RIP Billy.
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Just heard the news RIP Billy.
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It’s always sad when pioneers of the game pass on and as the first Captain of a British team to win the EC he was certainly that.
However his tenure at the Villa was a disaster and I always had the impression he cared for us about as much as I care for Runcorn.
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Part of the history of Aston Villa, a little ignominiously perhaps but part of it all the same. RIP Billy, you were a superb player.
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Very sad RIP
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RIP Billy. Condolences to family and friends.
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RIP.
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Sad news. Rest in peace Billy.
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just heard this...RIP Billy
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Sincere condolences to his family and friends x.
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Considered by many to be Scotland's greatest ever captain and also captain of the Lisbon Lions. Yet another ex footballer who suffered from dementia.
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RIP Billy, a major influence in the history of Scottish football. Just happened to be a bit shit in his short time at the Villa.
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RIP Billy McNeil.
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RIP.
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RIP
I think he holds the unfortunate record of having managed two sides in the same season that both got relegated. He left Man City to come to us and both went down.
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to be fair he took over a crook of shit to put it mildly.
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My earliest memory of watching any football on the television was watching Glasgow Celtic beat Inter Milan to win the European Cup in 1967, which huge courage and flair. The achievements of that team with McNeil as captain should never be underestimated.
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RIP
I think he holds the unfortunate record of having managed two sides in the same season that both got relegated. He left Man City to come to us and both went down.
I think he was the second manager to relegate two sides in the same season. Manchester City and Villa in 1987. Ron Saunders beat him to that achievement by twelve months when he managed Small Heath and Albion who both went down in 1986. I think it happened three years on the bounce because in 1988 Dave Bassett managed Watford, who were relegated from the first division and Sheffield United who were relegated from the second division.
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His playing achievements mark him as an all-time great and should be rightly lauded.
The most charitable thing I can say about his time managing in England is that being employed by both Peter Swales and then Doug Ellis would not have been the easiest of gigs.
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His playing achievements mark him as an all-time great and should be rightly lauded.
The most charitable thing I can say about his time managing in England is that being employed by both Peter Swales and then Doug Ellis would not have been the easiest of gigs.
Yes, he drew 2 very short straws there. Bozos both.
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This may not be the thread for it but I'm too young (I love writing that) to remember his time with us and I've never understood the 'Bingo' thing. If it's not too disrespectful, I'd appreciate an outline. If it is too disrespectful then I'm happy to never know!
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It is only recently he had any competition as the worst Villa manager of all time, and I still think he wins it.
Good player in his day.
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My earliest memory of watching any football on the television was watching Glasgow Celtic beat Inter Milan to win the European Cup in 1967, which huge courage and flair. The achievements of that team with McNeil as captain should never be underestimated.
Me also
I was 11 and watched it on my own as my dad was out.
Did not comprehend the significance of the result listened tonight the commentator say that the winning team al lived within a 20 mile radus of each other and were a real " team" I guess the Pogbas etc of today would understand that concept less than I did as an 11 year old.
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It is only recently he had any competition as the worst Villa manager of all time, and I still think he wins it.
Good player in his day.
I always thought Graham Turner was more to blame than McNeill. He was dreadful.
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(https://news.images.itv.com/image/file/1837252/stream_img.jpg)
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It is only recently he had any competition as the worst Villa manager of all time, and I still think he wins it.
Good player in his day.
His qualities and achievements as a player and a captain made him rather more than a 'good player in his day.'
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This may not be the thread for it but I'm too young (I love writing that) to remember his time with us and I've never understood the 'Bingo' thing. If it's not too disrespectful, I'd appreciate an outline. If it is too disrespectful then I'm happy to never know!
The word from the Villa players who played under him was that he used to be rather basic in his tactical talks. Rumour has it that his ream talks consisted of "Do this then do that and then 'Bingo'"! Hence i think some of the first teamers called him 'Billy Bingo'.
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Just another bloke who's died.
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This may not be the thread for it but I'm too young (I love writing that) to remember his time with us and I've never understood the 'Bingo' thing. If it's not too disrespectful, I'd appreciate an outline. If it is too disrespectful then I'm happy to never know!
The word from the Villa players who played under him was that he used to be rather basic in his tactical talks. Rumour has it that his ream talks consisted of "Do this then do that and then 'Bingo'"! Hence i think some of the first teamers called him 'Billy Bingo'.
Thanks Damo.
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Just another bloke who's died.
Really? On the day he died?
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Great player, not so good as a Manager. RIP Billy.
This. RIP.
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Next to Lamberk, possibly the worst manager we have had. However, he is part of the Villa family, so heartfelt condolences. R.I.P.
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Just another bloke who's died.
Revolting.
RIP Billy
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Don’t want to comment on his time as a manager at Villa. But his achievements as a player at Celtic certainly deserve the highest credit. A Celtic supporting mate (who is also dead now, tragically) always used to refer to BM as ‘Caesar McNeill.’ I’ve often wondered whether that was a club / supporters nickname, or just what my mate called him.
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I believe the name ceases came when he held up the European cup and a commentator or journalist said he looks like Ceaser
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Unlike some recent Villa managers I can name who masqueraded as "good blokes" Bingo Billy genuinely was one. My youngest son who must have been no more than 7 at the time wrote him a letter, unaided, of his own volition, wishing him well when he left us. He received a warm and sincere hand written reply on Glasgow Celtic Football and Athletic Club notepaper. Suitably framed it now hangs on the wall of my son's dump of a home in SW17. RIP Bingo.
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I may well be wrong but at the time of Billy M's appointment at Villa I am sure I read that Doug Ellis and Billy were already friends. Not sure how that would have come about.
Billy may of course have been a technical advisor to Doug when Doug developed the "arse over tit" bicycle kick.Later known as the pre meditated overhead kick.
Certainly when BM joined Villa we were a total shambles and pretty much in the same state when he left.
A great footballer though, RIP Billy.
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Don’t want to comment on his time as a manager at Villa. But his achievements as a player at Celtic certainly deserve the highest credit. A Celtic supporting mate (who is also dead now, tragically) always used to refer to BM as ‘Caesar McNeill.’ I’ve often wondered whether that was a club / supporters nickname, or just what my mate called him.
I've seen an article where Alex Ferguson refers to McNeill as Caesar, so I would take it that it was a known nickname in Scotland.
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I knew his nickname was Caesar but I'm pretty sure that wasn't what I was calling him at Selhurst Park on Easter Monday 1987 when we were losing 3-0 to Charlton.
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Wouldn't the Caesar nickname be largely because Celtic beat Inter Milan in the final?
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That's probably where it originated danno
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His nickname was Cesar not Caesar and it was nowt to do with the Inter game.
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His nickname was Cesar not Caesar and it was nowt to do with the Inter game.
Fair enough.
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/how-celtic-legend-billy-mcneill-got-his-cesar-nickname-1-4913346
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It is only recently he had any competition as the worst Villa manager of all time, and I still think he wins it.
Good player in his day.
His qualities and achievements as a player and a captain made him rather more than a 'good player in his day.'
Yep, I think only 4 British players have won more honours than him - including 9 championships in a row and the European Cup. Puts him in the legendary status for me
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Just another bloke who's died.
Really? On the day he died?
True. Sorry was insensitive.
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It is only recently he had any competition as the worst Villa manager of all time, and I still think he wins it.
Good player in his day.
His qualities and achievements as a player and a captain made him rather more than a 'good player in his day.'
Yep, I think only 4 British players have won more honours than him - including 9 championships in a row and the European Cup. Puts him in the legendary status for me
I'm going to guess Dalglish got more as he won loads with Celtic AND Liverpool, plus Giggs and Scholes who were at Man U for ages and won everything. Maybe Gary Neville as well? Or Alan Hansen?
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Giggs
Dalglish
Scholes
Lennox
then McNeill
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Sad news hearing the death of Billy McNeill .Was not a great time while being manager of Villa but was a great player and always came across as a decent bloke R I P Billy
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Obviously didn't have a happy time at Villa.
However it says a lot about the respect he was held in when there are 430+ posts on a Rangers forum (Follow Follow which is normally full of anti-Celtic vitriol) and pretty much all are extremely respectful and many saying there should be a minute's silence before their game.
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RIP Billy. And thoughts with his family.
But my goodness what a crap Villa team he oversaw!
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He was brought to us by Doug Ellis and acrimoniously left Man City to save us from the drop, but both were relegated!
He had a thankless task, taking over from the hopeless Graham Turner, and memories of the awful side he inherited and losing at home to Sheffield Wednesday which sealed our fate, are as painful as remembering SHodge. When Sir Graham toojk over he described the place as 'a shambles'.
Great player, poor manager in England, but swept the board of course in Scotland.
RIP Billy Bingo.
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Obviously didn't have a happy time at Villa.
However it says a lot about the respect he was held in when there are 430+ posts on a Rangers forum (Follow Follow which is normally full of anti-Celtic vitriol) and pretty much all are extremely respectful and many saying there should be a minute's silence before their game.
no TV
I've had a quick shuffle through that thread and yes, almost to a man/woman nothing but the utmost respect. What came across to me was the amount of them that respectfully referred to him as Sir when offering their condolences. Fair play to those Rangers fans, and that's something I didn't think I'd ever write, just goes to show.
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Obviously didn't have a happy time at Villa.
However it says a lot about the respect he was held in when there are 430+ posts on a Rangers forum (Follow Follow which is normally full of anti-Celtic vitriol) and pretty much all are extremely respectful and many saying there should be a minute's silence before their game.
no TV
I've had a quick shuffle through that thread and yes, almost to a man/woman nothing but the utmost respect. What came across to me was the amount of them that respectfully referred to him as Sir when offering their condolences. Fair play to those Rangers fans, and that's something I didn't think I'd ever write, just goes to show.
Obviously didn't have a happy time at Villa.
However it says a lot about the respect he was held in when there are 430+ posts on a Rangers forum (Follow Follow which is normally full of anti-Celtic vitriol) and pretty much all are extremely respectful and many saying there should be a minute's silence before their game.
no TV
I've had a quick shuffle through that thread and yes, almost to a man/woman nothing but the utmost respect. What came across to me was the amount of them that respectfully referred to him as Sir when offering their condolences. Fair play to those Rangers fans, and that's something I didn't think I'd ever write, just goes to show.
He was a Protestant from a military family. They love that.
I haven't read the Rangers forum because I never would but I apologise if I've misrepresented the savage, knuckle-headed shower of total C-words.
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He was a Protestant
Half of the Lisbon Lions were. And Jock Stein
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He was a Protestant
Half of the Lisbon Lions were. And Jock Stein
Being a Protestant has never been a problem at Celtic despite what some might say
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He was a Protestant
Half of the Lisbon Lions were. And Jock Stein
Being a Protestant has never been a problem at Celtic despite what some might say
It was famously an advantage under Stein.