The Doog Dies

[ascint57]

One of the few players who did better at Wolves than Villa, but a kind, generous and always pleasant man, who never forgot his times at Villa.

One of my childhood heroes with his strange hair styles and attitude to refs, an ideal replacement for my all time hero Gerry Hitches, its a pity he didn't have the players around him, that perhaps, his talents deserved.

A friend to many a Villa fan, as the various memories will no doubt show.
Its always a sad day when someone you remember so fondly joins those others transferred from us, at least he'll have his mate Besty to help him along. A sad loss

[dave.woodhall]

'Character' best sums him up.

He'll always be remembered as a Wolves player, and in all honesty his Villa career was overshadowed by his coming between Gerry Hitchens and Tony Hateley.

In retirement he was a bit of a rogue but you couldn't help liking him.

[tricky dicky]

RIP Derek

[jackstar]

RIP Doog.

Only saw him last week in his home village of Tettenhall. Great pleasant guy who always had time for people, especially if they wanted to talk football.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Never saw him play for us but did meet him at a book signing one Saturday morning down at Six Ways.
Seemed a real gent and even though I never bought his book, was keen to talk to me and sign an autograph. Certainly made the cycle ride well worth the effort.

Great quote from the Doog in that Guardian article:

"When I arrived at Aston Villa," he would later write, "it was like joining a Guards Regiment. At first the atmosphere was overpowering. I was with a great club and it's not easy to live up to such greatness. At the same time I enjoyed the stimulus and the challenge. It wasn't until much later, after I had left Villa, that I realised the peril of leaning too much on tradition. Villa were so mesmerised by past glories that they could not see what was happening to them until it was too late. Tradition was romanticised - a fatal mistake."

Sums us up pretty well. Let's hope Randy takes note of the Doog's insight.

[Oscar Arce]

Saw George Best remembered on Biography last night and The Doog ruffling the hair of George Best after one of his mazy runs whilst playing for Northern Ireland.
So sad that both of them are now gone.