Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Holte Enders in the Sky => Topic started by: dave.woodhall on March 27, 2024, 03:50:28 PM
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John Russell's co-conspirator at Digbeth, later a vice-president and a man whose loathing of the Stripeys made me and Chelts look like amateurs. His was a life well lived.
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Saddened to hear this. Funeral in Letterkenny I assume Dave.
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A lifelong and committed Villa fan and excellent company. One of the few who travelled to away 3rd division games. He said that on his death bed he would join the WBA supporters club so that it would be one less of them, not us.
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A lifelong and committed Villa fan and excellent company. One of the few who travelled to away 3rd division games. He said that on his death bed he would join the WBA supporters club so that it would be one less of them, not us.
Very sad news.
There were more than a few of us who travelled to away 3rd division games though.
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Brian worked in West Bromwich and when he couldn't get to a Villa game he would use one of his firm's tickets at the Hawthorns so that the opposition would have an extra supporter. He also took a car park pass even though he didn't drive so that one of Them wouldn't have it. His finest hour came in 1973 when he saw them get relegated and as he was leaving the ground he saw their captain, Tony Kaye, coming out of the players entrance. "I took his bag off him and carried it back to his car. I didn't say a word. I just smiled."
Every year on the anniversary of them fluking the cup in 1968 he wore a blue and white tie, "to celebrate them not winning a trophy for another year." When he told me that I said, "You're a bad man, Mister Evans." "Yes," he replied. "And I'm getting worse."
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Brian worked in West Bromwich and when he couldn't get to a Villa game he would use one of his firm's tickets at the Hawthorns so that the opposition would have an extra supporter. He also took a car park pass even though he didn't drive so that one of Them wouldn't have it. His finest hour came in 1973 when he saw them get relegated and as he was leaving the ground he saw their captain, Tony Kaye, coming out of the players entrance. "I took his bag off him and carried it back to his car. I didn't say a word. I just smiled."
Every year on the anniversary of them fluking the cup in 1968 he wore a blue and white tie, "to celebrate them not winning a trophy for another year." When he told me that. I said "You're a bad man. Mister Evans." "Yes," he replied. "And I'm getting worse."
That's brilliant Dave put a big smile on my face. RIP Brian.
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Dave, is it appropriate to post an article about the Digbeth Civic Hall protest meeting? I imagine that a lot of fans would have no idea how significant it was. Maybe there is a post from John Russell but I did find one from Birmingham Live.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-fans-protest-brought-11010565
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Saddened to hear this. Funeral in Letterkenny I assume Dave.
Details of the arrangements here. https://rip.ie/death-notice/brian-evans-donegal-letterkenny-550709
Should you wish to, you can leave your condolences using the link at the bottom.
Sounds like he was a bit of a character, and had a level of hatred for the Olbiyun that Dave could only admire.
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I feel saddened that I never met Brian as he sounds like a great Villa character.
FTA Brian
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Only just seen this.
My late Dad knew him quite well. Back in the day he lived on the Birmingham Road in Wylde Green and his house was called "Ibrox Villa". Don't know he had any Rangers affinity but I can remember him talking about being at Old firm games. For many years he worked for a firm of solicitors in West Bromwich, if he had to use some of his annual leave for midweek away games then so be it.
He never drove as I believe he had tunnel vision. That didn't stop him from being at pretty well every game in the 3rd division. He came with us in the car on the odd occasion to away games in the 1970s, usually night games where trains may have been tricky.
I went on the supporters plane to the Bilbao game in 1977, my first European game on my own. I think my Dad told Brian to keep an eye out for me on the trip. He couldn't done a very good job as I finished up staggering back to the hotel thoroughly pissed after the game about 4am and nearly missing the coach back to the airport.
Certainly a character with some good stories and always a strong informed opinion on all things Villa.
RIP
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Another side of Brian. There are some nice words here:
https://www.followfollow.com/forum/threads/brian-evans-rip-former-aston-villa-vice-president-and-keen-rangers-fan.268916/
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Great stories about him there Dave. I didn’t know the chap but RIP.
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I was at a private event where John Gidman was fretting over whether he would get into the next England squad. Brian told him, very seriously “I can tell you John that without doubt you are the finest right back in Pilkington Avenue”.
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I was at a private event where John Gidman was fretting over whether he would get into the next England squad. Brian told him, very seriously “I can tell you John that without doubt you are the finest right back in Pilkington Avenue”.
In Sutton?
My kids walk up there to school.
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Yes John Gidman lived there.
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Only just seen this.
My late Dad knew him quite well. Back in the day he lived on the Birmingham Road in Wylde Green and his house was called "Ibrox Villa". Don't know he had any Rangers affinity but I can remember him talking about being at Old firm games. For many years he worked for a firm of solicitors in West Bromwich, if he had to use some of his annual leave for midweek away games then so be it.
A bit late to this thread. But crikey, that brings back some memories. I would probably have been his paperboy for a few years. Assuming he bought his newspapers from Scoffhams Newagents (Almost opposite Johnny Dixons shop). But I'm sure I remember Ibrox Villa.