Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Dave Clark Five on January 12, 2013, 09:58:31 AM
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Don't know if anyone else here went to the function at Sutton Town last night. John Gregory played his guitar, sang and regaled us with tales from his days at the club. Listening to his stories, especially about Doug, gave me a hankering to be back in those times.
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Sounds like a good night actually. I liked Gregory, i'm surprised he's not in the game in some capacity. He'd make a good coach on the training ground for somebody.
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There were some interesting stories about Ron Saunders, including one where John Gregory tried to push him for a higher wage. We are only talking about an extra £25 a week here! Saunders refused and, two weeks later, John was off to Brighton. The fact that we became Division One Champions and won the European Cup in the next few years still plays on John's mind, especially as he loves the club. 'What if.....?' What a torment that must be.
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I believe he played a song for Stan?
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I know a lot of people moan about Gregory and his brand of football, but we still had some great games under him and a few players like Merson and briefly Carbone, who'd provide the entertainment off their own back. Still I'd settle for being a middling top 8 club now. Plus his love of the club could never be questionnned. It meant a lot to him. You never felt that with some of our managers since. O Neill proved how little we meant to him. O Leary probably thought he was gonna step over us to become manager of Barca and McLeish is just a jobber going from one gig to another without much enthusiasm. At least you sense with Lambert that he's grateful to be hear and wants to achieve long term goals.
I do miss the Gregory days though. Always good for a quote too. JG is in actual fact probably a very mediocre football manager, as proved by his stints after. He did well here, largely because of how passionate he was for the club. It took him a long way I think.
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we have he that walks on water (Brian Little) coming to North Walsall in feb :-)
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I believe he played a song for Stan?
He did. If I'm not mistaken, he had a tear in his eye. He got a standing ovation.
The MC was Rob Bishop. He had some stick about his times in the press.
One story was about Ellis saying that he never slept well the night before sacking a manager.
We lost against Southampton. Gregory called Ellis and asked if he could come round for a chat. When he got there, John said 'did you sleep well last night?'
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I believe he played a song for Stan?
He did. It was very moving.
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we have he that walks on water (Brian Little) coming to North Walsall in feb :-)
He was brilliant at Bromsgrove.
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I wouldn't mind either Little or Gregory back to be honest. They'd take us down too but at least when our ship sinks we'd have someone proudly wearing a claret and blue life jacket as we plunged into the icy depths of the championship.
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I'd love Gregory back at the club right now. Shows passion and is good with players. We had some good times with him as our manager.
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Was underwhelmed with his appointment but he got off to a flyer against Liverpool and I must say he did a good job overall- if he had won the Chelsea final he would have joined the legends - the time was right for him to go , but his reign on the whole was fairly good and many enjoyable games and good players .
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I'd love Gregory back at the club right now. Shows passion and is good with players. We had some good times with him as our manager.
When he took over from Little, we went on an unbelievable run. No excuses, no whinging about players lacking confidence, he just got on with the job very, very effectively.
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I'd love Gregory back at the club right now. Shows passion and is good with players. We had some good times with him as our manager.
When he took over from Little, we went on an unbelievable run. No excuses, no whinging about players lacking confidence, he just got on with the job very, very effectively.
He always talked the club up as well. Made us believe we were a big club, which we are of course.
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Like the love in that's been going on with harping back to the halcyon days of Doug Ellis, though jg may have loved the villa he like oneill had money, spunked it up the wall and gave us the worst villa performance in that cup final.
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JG is a good one to follow on twitter, he'll often get involved with a twitter conversion about the Villa or Bruce Springsteen with me. He absolutely loves the Villa.
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I'd love Gregory back at the club right now. Shows passion and is good with players. We had some good times with him as our manager.
Was thinking the same last night. If Lambert is pushed (I hope he won't be) I'd bring back Little and/or Gregory until the end of the season. We have tried pretty much everything else we may as well go with something different. Does anybody doubt their love of the club? Can you see anybody else getting more from these players in the battle ahead?
I know people go on about Shearer at Newcastle but this would be a bit different. They have management experience (albeit a long time ago) but for our purposes they'd at least rally the fans again and maybe, just maybe, instill some belief and pride in these players.
I'd back one of those or both to keep us up over any RDM, Curbishly or whoever else happens to be looking for work right now.
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He told a great story of going on a pre season tour to Bilbao shortly after joining Villa before the 77/78 season. All the lads were in pairs sharing rooms and as one of the new lads he had no one to share with.
He was then approached by John Burridge who asked if he wanted to share a room with him. Knowing no better, he agreed. The lads were all wishing him good luck when they found out he was stuck with Budgie.
He went to the room but couldn't find Budgie. After searching the room and balcony, he noticed a pair of knuckles hanging off the top of the bathroom door.
There was Budgie doing push ups on the door. Budgie then made John sit on his back while he did press ups and instructed him to throw oranges at him when he was off guard to check his reflexes.
Having read Budgies book, I've no doubt that this is 100% correct.
Budgie was 100% committed and 110% barking mad !
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Like the love in that's been going on with harping back to the halcyon days of Doug Ellis, though jg may have loved the villa he like oneill had money, spunked it up the wall and gave us the worst villa performance in that cup final.
Oh have a word with yourself. "Worst Villa performance" my arse. Firstly, no other manager in in most people's living memory has got us to a final, and secondly we lost to one flukey goal thanks to a David James howler. And he might have spent a lot of money, but most of it was well spent on players like Dublin, Merson, Delaney, James, Boateng, Alpay and Angel. He had a far higher hit rate than O'Neill when it came to transfers, and he worked for Ellis not some stupid American playboy with a trust fund to squander.
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Like the love in that's been going on with harping back to the halcyon days of Doug Ellis, though jg may have loved the villa he like oneill had money, spunked it up the wall and gave us the worst villa performance in that cup final.
Oh have a word with yourself. "Worst Villa performance" my arse. Firstly, no other manager in in most people's living memory has got us to a final, and secondly we lost to one flukey goal thanks to a David James howler. And he might have spent a lot of money, but most of it was well spent on players like Dublin, Merson, Delaney, James, Boateng, Alpay and Angel. He had a far higher hit rate than O'Neill when it came to transfers, and he worked for Ellis not some stupid American playboy with a trust fund to squander.
A very unlucky howler, as had it not hit Southgate bang on the back we would have got away with it. Also, Carbone missed the best chance of the game late on. Sad, but I remember there were 1-2 selections that day that made me wince.
All in all though, I though he did a great job for us, and left us in a very good position in the league.
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Like the love in that's been going on with harping back to the halcyon days of Doug Ellis, though jg may have loved the villa he like oneill had money, spunked it up the wall and gave us the worst villa performance in that cup final.
Oh have a word with yourself. "Worst Villa performance" my arse. Firstly, no other manager in in most people's living memory has got us to a final, and secondly we lost to one flukey goal thanks to a David James howler. And he might have spent a lot of money, but most of it was well spent on players like Dublin, Merson, Delaney, James, Boateng, Alpay and Angel. He had a far higher hit rate than O'Neill when it came to transfers, and he worked for Ellis not some stupid American playboy with a trust fund to squander.
Atkinson, Little and MON got to us to a final. Unless you are specifically referencing the FA cup.
Under Gregory at times we played some of the most boring football but we weren't losing or ever in danger of capitulating in games. But I just loved the fact that fr a while you knew that him and Little and before them Big Ron were working their bollocks off for the club. Even if in the end it didn't work, we had a period of people who loved the club, managing the club. That in many respects they actually felt the same pain we did. I so wish it had worked out with Stan because what a potential match made in heaven that would have been had it done so. You're right Risso. There were no excuses, he just took on the challenge, but in the end it wasn't enough. We'll just never know what might have been had not left.
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I know a lot of people moan about Gregory and his brand of football, but we still had some great games under him and a few players like Merson and briefly Carbone, who'd provide the entertainment off their own back. Still I'd settle for being a middling top 8 club now. Plus his love of the club could never be questionnned. It meant a lot to him. You never felt that with some of our managers since. O Neill proved how little we meant to him. O Leary probably thought he was gonna step over us to become manager of Barca and McLeish is just a jobber going from one gig to another without much enthusiasm. At least you sense with Lambert that he's grateful to be hear and wants to achieve long term goals.
I do miss the Gregory days though. Always good for a quote too. JG is in actual fact probably a very mediocre football manager, as proved by his stints after. He did well here, largely because of how passionate he was for the club. It took him a long way I think.
Yeah agree with that.
You can split his spell in charge into two halves, first half 98-00 when we were top of the league for a while, reached a cup final, signed some big name players at the time who contributed at least (Dublin, Merson) and we actually played really good football in that spell and had some extraordinary games in the 98-99 season.
Then the second part of his reign began with the cup final really. Losing in such a negative manner just spread for the rest of his reign and we were awful to watch in the league, 2000-01 must be the most non descript season in our recent history, anyone have a clue what happened in that year apart from relegating Coventry at the end?
We still signed big names like Ginola and Schemiechel but they contributed nothing as did the likes of Kachoul, Hadji, Balaban....
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Like the love in that's been going on with harping back to the halcyon days of Doug Ellis, though jg may have loved the villa he like oneill had money, spunked it up the wall and gave us the worst villa performance in that cup final.
He only had a net spend of 16 mill over 4 years didnt he?
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My season tickets during the JG years were right behind the dugout, I remember one occasion him joining in with the 'stand up if you hate Man U' chant, and on many occasions jokingly taking suggestions on possible substitutions during the course of a game. Some might frown upon it, but was fun and you couldn't question his love and passion that he had for the Villa.
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I always liked JG, top bloke.
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I would agree with Little and Gregory. We need to get this club back in the hands of Villa people.
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JG is a good one to follow on twitter, he'll often get involved with a twitter conversion about the Villa or Bruce Springsteen with me. He absolutely loves the Villa.
Is he actually on there? I've looked for him but they all appear fake.
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JG is a good one to follow on twitter, he'll often get involved with a twitter conversion about the Villa or Bruce Springsteen with me. He absolutely loves the Villa.
Is he actually on there? I've looked for him but they all appear fake.
Try @ johngregory77
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I hope they had the decency to take down those pictures of fucking Charlton and Best before he turned up.
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I think my favourite part is Pauline looking at her watch and deciding its time for more gin!
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I think my favourite part is Pauline looking at her watch and deciding its time for more gin!
That may well have happened a few times.
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I think my favourite part is Pauline looking at her watch and deciding its time for more gin!
That may well have happened a few times.
Looking good, Pauline!
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And texting someone as soon as JG started his tribute to Stan!
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I think my favourite part is Pauline looking at her watch and deciding its time for more gin!
That may well have happened a few times.
Pauline and Jon looking in fine fettle there!
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I think my favourite part is Pauline looking at her watch and deciding its time for more gin!
That may well have happened a few times.
Pauline and Jon looking in fine fettle there!
Our few moments of fame and we knew nothing about it. We'd have moved if we'd realized we were in the frame.
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The John and Pauline show!
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The John and Pauline show!
I'm frightened to watch it.
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The John and Pauline show!
I'm frightened to watch it.
I thought you may have led jon to the dancefloor at least pauline, was dc5 wearing his blue suede shoes?
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The John and Pauline show!
I'm frightened to watch it.
Out of interest, did you stop in a Premier Inn in Swansea when we played there last season?
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The John and Pauline show!
I'm frightened to watch it.
Out of interest, did you stop in a Premier Inn in Swansea when we played there last season?
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Neath, if you mean that one.
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The John and Pauline show!
I'm frightened to watch it.
Out of interest, did you stop in a Premier Inn in Swansea when we played there last season?
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Neath, if you mean that one.
Oh ok, we stayed at a Premier Inn in Swansea before our game there last season and we saw some Villa fans in the bar and seeing Pauline in that video, i thought she looked familar.
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Villa such a beautiful club with so much potential just wish they get someone to take them onto the next level, aways willing them on... Wishing Petrov a full and speedy recovery, as for Gregory Loved Gregory as a manager what a character pity he turned his back on managing he was a colourful character!
- Sir Arthur , FIFA Headquarters, Zurich, 16/1/2013 07:02
Can't Sir Arthur give us a hand?
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Video of John Gregory's Stan Petrov tribute:
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/video-former-aston-villa-manager-1212182?
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Would that be the same video posted on the previous page? ;)
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Probably. I seem to be repeating a lot at the minute. :(
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The John and Pauline show!
I'm frightened to watch it.
Out of interest, did you stop in a Premier Inn in Swansea when we played there last season?
We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express at Neath, if you mean that one.
Oh ok, we stayed at a Premier Inn in Swansea before our game there last season and we saw some Villa fans in the bar and seeing Pauline in that video, i thought she looked familar.
Me in a bar? Perish the thought. You'll be suggesting I enjoy a drink next. Tsk
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The John and Pauline show!
I'm frightened to watch it.
I thought you may have led jon to the dancefloor at least pauline, was dc5 wearing his blue suede shoes?
With our knees? You must be joking ;). Jon saves his energy these days to get to the bar.
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Could you actually see anything Pauline?
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Could you actually see anything Pauline?
We had a great view though the trellising. We sat there as we had a table. There weren't many tables available and we needed somewhere for our drinks.
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And texting someone as soon as JG started his tribute to Stan!
I was posting a picture of JG onto Facebook saying he was dedicating the song to Stan.
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Remembered more for his Balaban signing that anything else unfortunately. One of the dodgiest signings in the history of the club.
Great start but ran out of ideas. Spunking 5m on the likes of Steve Stone I seem to recall. Then again I'm sure he will point to Juninho and Robbie Keane as the ones that got away.
He would have hugely benefitted from a Graham Taylor type figure on the board at the time.
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Now let's not start going through JG's history again or we'll sound like housewives crying into our Gin & Cokes about how the bastard dumped us.