Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: maidstonevillain on June 01, 2012, 10:12:05 PM
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A good read. Although does seem to be bit dismissive of Tony Barton.
http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/sport/football/interview-des-bremner-former-hibernian-midfielder-and-european-cup-winner-1-2304987
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Fantastic read, thank you for sharing, I had the chance to meet Dezzie at the End of the season gala and he gave me the impression to be a very, very nice guy!
(http://i49.tinypic.com/2cqctac.jpg)
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He was a massive hero to us at the time and I know the Villa faithful really appreciated his incredible work-rate. I've always thought of him as a quiet hero. Unsung, never!
He puts some of today's prima donnas to shame.
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Thank you. Thoroughly enjoyed reading that. Des's dad was at the back of our traveller's club coach for the trip to Rotterdam. It's memories like that, being tickled by Peter Withe as I sat on his knee for a photo and Allan Evans's great big St. Bernard dog Hannah lolloping around Bodymoor Heath that mark my childhood. I'll send a link of this thread/article to my dad.
(going a bit off topic, but I'm eternally grateful to my Dad for my being a very young season ticket holder in those glorious years, I didn't appreciate fully at the time how few 8year olds were in Rotterdam!)
Back on topic, I loved, how in every game at least at one point my dad would shout "Skin 'im Des!" as he bombed down the wing past his man.
Cheers.
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Nice read. Sort of off-topic; I see the article was written by Aidan Smith, author of the superb 'Heartfelt' - one of the best football books ever.
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He still turns out for the Villa Old Stars. Usually at full back as he doesn't quite do the same mileage during a game now.
In fact, I saw him play 45 minutes in a charity game at The Hawthorns only a couple of weeks ago.
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Great article. His account of his childhood seems a little like Eamon Deacy's. Both kept their feet on their ground.
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Good article. How accurate is it that Barton was scout, rather than assistant manager, in all-but-name? Never heard that before.
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Roy McLaren was the proper assistant manager. Tony Barton was apparently responsible for scouting signings like Swain, Evans, Bremner, Withe and Morley. He was an old Portsmouth team mate of Ron Saunders. When he was appointed caretaker manager of the League Champions the press dubbed him 'Tony Who?'. By the end of the season 'Tony Who?' was 'European Cup winning manager Tony Barton'.
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So what happens to Roy as I don't know much about his career
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I don't know much about him before or after Villa. I think he was a former goalkeeper who was assistant to Ron Saunders and then Tony Barton. I believe when he and Tony Barton left Villa he moved to Australia.
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Correct. He moved to Melbourne and opened a football academy that I think had links with the Villa, at least around the time Sir Brian was manager.
Back to Des, apart from the obvious heroics of Spink, Des was my MOTM in Rotterdam, he was bloody everywhere. As others have said, great player and extremely underrated but not by Saunders who absolutely loved him and appreciated the job Des did for the team.
I always saw him in Sutton doing a bit of shopping before Xmas every time I was back home. Gutted I never saw him last time, Christmas just isn't Christmas without seeing Des. Does anybody know if he still lives locally?
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Great article. His account of his childhood seems a little like Eamon Deacy's. Both kept their feet on their ground.
He was manager's assistant - they were very particular about that title. Roy McLaren was first team coach.
Have you been celebrating the appointment of our new manager?
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Great article. His account of his childhood seems a little like Eamon Deacy's. Both kept their feet on their ground.
He was manager's assistant - they were very particular about that title. Roy McLaren was first team coach.
Have you been celebrating the appointment of our new manager?
Not yet, why? Ah, just seen it. Soon fix that.
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Good article. How accurate is it that Barton was scout, rather than assistant manager, in all-but-name? Never heard that before.
He was manager's assistant - they were very particular about that title. Roy McLaren was first team coach.
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Thanks for posting the article
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Do like the fact that I have the same surname as he does. As fairly obscure as it is outside Scotland, bet people still get it wrong for him too: Bremna, Brenda, Bremmer.
Great read, played a vital role and seems a cracking bloke.
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I think Des lives in the Walmley area, often see him in the Post Office, still a very smart bloke and extremely pleasant. A genuine top man in the title and European teams, far more than reliable. Des in our present team would be invaluable............., as would Gary, Dennis, Ken, Alan, Kenny, either left back, Sid, ........ Tony.. Eamon God rest him, much underrated, much skill, bloody professional, fun to watch, just like last year was'nt.
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Interesting article, but to call Geordie terrible is ridiculous.
For me it's a charming film, and as an early colour film does full justice to the scenery around Aberfoyle which is absolutely stunning
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Des is a great bloke now and was no different at the height of our success. It is brilliant that he is at Villa Park so often these days.
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Anyone remember his debut at home to Arsenal, 0-0 draw, with Geddis and I think Mike Pejic making their debuts. He looked as if he had never seen a football before, but went on to become a great servant for the club
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Anyone remember his debut at home to Arsenal, 0-0 draw, with Geddis and I think Mike Pejic making their debuts. He looked as if he had never seen a football before, but went on to become a great servant for the club
I remember that game - it was during a period when we couldn't buy a goal. Ken McNaught had a perfectly good header disallowed (Terry Weir's picture in the next programme showed conclusive proof that he never had his hands on an Arsenal defender's shoulders that some eejit ref saw fit to blow up for).
It was this month or so of goalless performances that led to the "Villa score, Villa score, Once you get once you'll get more" chant. It was "Knees up Mother Brown " that kept us happy on the Holte though....
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I used to love "Knees up mother Brown" on the old Holte. I used to end up carried down the terrace in the crowd.
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Anyone remember his debut at home to Arsenal, 0-0 draw, with Geddis and I think Mike Pejic making their debuts. He looked as if he had never seen a football before, but went on to become a great servant for the club
I remember that game - it was during a period when we couldn't buy a goal. Ken McNaught had a perfectly good header disallowed (Terry Weir's picture in the next programme showed conclusive proof that he never had his hands on an Arsenal defender's shoulders that some eejit ref saw fit to blow up for).
It was this month or so of goalless performances that led to the "Villa score, Villa score, Once you get once you'll get more" chant.
"... we will not be mastered by those cockney bas8ards so score, Viiiiiilla score". Ah, memories.
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Anyone remember his debut at home to Arsenal, 0-0 draw, with Geddis and I think Mike Pejic making their debuts. He looked as if he had never seen a football before, but went on to become a great servant for the club
I remember that game - it was during a period when we couldn't buy a goal. Ken McNaught had a perfectly good header disallowed (Terry Weir's picture in the next programme showed conclusive proof that he never had his hands on an Arsenal defender's shoulders that some eejit ref saw fit to blow up for).
It was this month or so of goalless performances that led to the "Villa score, Villa score, Once you get once you'll get more" chant.
"... we will not be mastered by those cockney bas8ards so score, Viiiiiilla score". Ah, memories.
Also 'we'll see your assembly, when we get to Wembley'.
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Anyone remember his debut at home to Arsenal, 0-0 draw, with Geddis and I think Mike Pejic making their debuts. He looked as if he had never seen a football before, but went on to become a great servant for the club
I remember that game - it was during a period when we couldn't buy a goal. Ken McNaught had a perfectly good header disallowed (Terry Weir's picture in the next programme showed conclusive proof that he never had his hands on an Arsenal defender's shoulders that some eejit ref saw fit to blow up for).
It was this month or so of goalless performances that led to the "Villa score, Villa score, Once you get once you'll get more" chant.
"... we will not be mastered by those cockney bas8ards so score, Viiiiiilla score". Ah, memories.
My memory of that version is of the same tune but different poetry::
Fuck em all, fuck em all,
Tottenham, West Ham and Millwall,
We won't be mastered
By no cockney bastards,
So don't fuck one fuck em all
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Does anybody know if he still lives locally?
I bought him a pint in Walmley Cricket Club a year or two ago so presume he lives around there as I've also seen him in Carrefour a few times as well.
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He goes down the match as well, so he probably still lives locally.
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Anyone remember his debut at home to Arsenal, 0-0 draw, with Geddis and I think Mike Pejic making their debuts. He looked as if he had never seen a football before, but went on to become a great servant for the club
I remember that game - it was during a period when we couldn't buy a goal. Ken McNaught had a perfectly good header disallowed (Terry Weir's picture in the next programme showed conclusive proof that he never had his hands on an Arsenal defender's shoulders that some eejit ref saw fit to blow up for).
It was this month or so of goalless performances that led to the "Villa score, Villa score, Once you get once you'll get more" chant. It was "Knees up Mother Brown " that kept us happy on the Holte though....
I remember it well, lets be fair though and Des will say it himself, he looked like a poor pub player. I thought Sir Ron had lost his senses.
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If I live to be 200 I believe I will never see a better midfield at VP than Des/Sid/Dennis. Top top man.
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Not sure this got posted last year?
Interview: Des Bremner on the rise and fall of Aston Villa, memories of Hibs, and why Ron Saunders was the Pep Guardiola of his day (15 May 2016) (http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/14493665.Interview__Des_Bremner_on_the_rise_and_fall_of_Aston_Villa__memories_of_Hibs__and_why_Ron_Saunders_was_the_Pep_Guardiola_of_his_day/)
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You missed the : thingy Here is the right link.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/14493665.Interview__Des_Bremner_on_the_rise_and_fall_of_Aston_Villa__memories_of_Hibs__and_why_Ron_Saunders_was_the_Pep_Guardiola_of_his_day//
Damn read good as well! Thanks!
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Ah, you beat me to it, thanks yep I'd realised, was busy correcting the Saunders link first - check out that long read too..
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"Like the Leicester City of the day"
No we weren't.
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Good article thanks for posting.