Random Stories About Footballers

[Marlon From Bearwood]

I worked in Barclays Bank Sutton Coldfield in 1994-5 when I was 19. I would reguarly serve players such as Yorke, Bosnich, Ugo, Froggatt etc. Bosnich was a real poser who always tried to impress the female staff but they were all generally ok. On my last day working there I spent a 2 hour lunch break in The Cup pub opposite, with people buying me drinks (this was very much the done thing in those days, though it sounds bad now, and you got a 2 hour lunch on your very last day!). I was serving on the counter that afternoon, and was definately the worse for wear, when up walked Dwight Yorke. "Yorkie!" I shouted "Great goal last week mate", "We love you etc etc". Dwight's face was a puzzled look of "Is this guy serving me, pissed?!" My horrified boss quickly suggested I come off the counter and sit quietly out of the way.

I've told this one before, but one of the most surreal encounters I've had was when Gary Shaw walked into Azim's Balti House in Lozells on a Saturday night, several hours after a home game about 2 years ago. He was with a group who'd been on it all day, which included the Norwegian Lions. He came over and said hello as he passed our table and we acknowledged him. Later on, as I passed his table going to the loo, he called me over again for a chat. He's basically Villa mad, and was asking me and my mates Villa related trivia questions to test whether we loved the Villa as much as him! He also led a Villa sing song, before the best bit - talking me through Withe's goal in Rotterdam by using bits of broken poppadom to indicate who each player was. He'd position all the pieces of poppadom and move them around the table, saying "this is me, this is Morley" as he slid a piece along the side of the table etc. Posed for photos before leaving. The next morning was a proper "did that really happen last night?" moment.

Some mates of mine attended the Old Stars /Lions & Legends (forget which now) Xmas Party the year before last. It's fair to say that 2 of the 1982 squad can't stand the sight of each other (one was a 1st team regular, the other a squad member) and by the end of the night their respective families were having a major, pissed up slanging match until eventually each of the players wives came to blows on the car park, and were rolling around on the floor before being pulled apart!

Me and a mate ended up sat with Steve Bull at the bar at the Grosvenor Casino on Broad St about 4 or 5 years ago. Top bloke, happy to chat for ages whilst his Mrs played on the tables. Was happy to talk about England, scoring at Hampden, Italia 90, what a great guy Bobby Robson was etc. Then I had to ask him just how closed he'd come to ever joining Villa. He said that one summer he was sure that the deal was on, even had his bag packed ready to go, but for whatever reason it just never happened!

[Singapore Villa]

I worked in Barclays Bank Sutton Coldfield in 1994-5 when I was 19. I would reguarly serve players such as Yorke, Bosnich, Ugo, Froggatt etc. Bosnich was a real poser who always tried to impress the female staff but they were all generally ok. On my last day working there I spent a 2 hour lunch break in The Cup pub opposite, with people buying me drinks (this was very much the done thing in those days, though it sounds bad now, and you got a 2 hour lunch on your very last day!). I was serving on the counter that afternoon, and was definately the worse for wear, when up walked Dwight Yorke. "Yorkie!" I shouted "Great goal last week mate", "We love you etc etc". Dwight's face was a puzzled look of "Is this guy serving me, pissed?!" My horrified boss quickly suggested I come off the counter and sit quietly out of the way.

I've told this one before, but one of the most surreal encounters I've had was when Gary Shaw walked into Azim's Balti House in Lozells on a Saturday night, several hours after a home game about 2 years ago. He was with a group who'd been on it all day, which included the Norwegian Lions. He came over and said hello as he passed our table and we acknowledged him. Later on, as I passed his table going to the loo, he called me over again for a chat. He's basically Villa mad, and was asking me and my mates Villa related trivia questions to test whether we loved the Villa as much as him! He also led a Villa sing song, before the best bit - talking me through Withe's goal in Rotterdam by using bits of broken poppadom to indicate who each player was. He'd position all the pieces of poppadom and move them around the table, saying "this is me, this is Morley" as he slid a piece along the side of the table etc. Posed for photos before leaving. The next morning was a proper "did that really happen last night?" moment.

Some mates of mine attended the Old Stars /Lions & Legends (forget which now) Xmas Party the year before last. It's fair to say that 2 of the 1982 squad can't stand the sight of each other (one was a 1st team regular, the other a squad member) and by the end of the night their respective families were having a major, pissed up slanging match until eventually each of the players wives came to blows on the car park, and were rolling around on the floor before being pulled apart!

Me and a mate ended up sat with Steve Bull at the bar at the Grosvenor Casino on Broad St about 4 or 5 years ago. Top bloke, happy to chat for ages whilst his Mrs played on the tables. Was happy to talk about England, scoring at Hampden, Italia 90, what a great guy Bobby Robson was etc. Then I had to ask him just how closed he'd come to ever joining Villa. He said that one summer he was sure that the deal was on, even had his bag packed ready to go, but for whatever reason it just never happened!

Loving the curry house story!!!

[dave.woodhall]

That's Gary Shaw.

[saunders_heroes]

I worked in Barclays Bank Sutton Coldfield in 1994-5 when I was 19. I would reguarly serve players such as Yorke, Bosnich, Ugo, Froggatt etc. Bosnich was a real poser who always tried to impress the female staff but they were all generally ok. On my last day working there I spent a 2 hour lunch break in The Cup pub opposite, with people buying me drinks (this was very much the done thing in those days, though it sounds bad now, and you got a 2 hour lunch on your very last day!). I was serving on the counter that afternoon, and was definately the worse for wear, when up walked Dwight Yorke. "Yorkie!" I shouted "Great goal last week mate", "We love you etc etc". Dwight's face was a puzzled look of "Is this guy serving me, pissed?!" My horrified boss quickly suggested I come off the counter and sit quietly out of the way.

I've told this one before, but one of the most surreal encounters I've had was when Gary Shaw walked into Azim's Balti House in Lozells on a Saturday night, several hours after a home game about 2 years ago. He was with a group who'd been on it all day, which included the Norwegian Lions. He came over and said hello as he passed our table and we acknowledged him. Later on, as I passed his table going to the loo, he called me over again for a chat. He's basically Villa mad, and was asking me and my mates Villa related trivia questions to test whether we loved the Villa as much as him! He also led a Villa sing song, before the best bit - talking me through Withe's goal in Rotterdam by using bits of broken poppadom to indicate who each player was. He'd position all the pieces of poppadom and move them around the table, saying "this is me, this is Morley" as he slid a piece along the side of the table etc. Posed for photos before leaving. The next morning was a proper "did that really happen last night?" moment.

Some mates of mine attended the Old Stars /Lions & Legends (forget which now) Xmas Party the year before last. It's fair to say that 2 of the 1982 squad can't stand the sight of each other (one was a 1st team regular, the other a squad member) and by the end of the night their respective families were having a major, pissed up slanging match until eventually each of the players wives came to blows on the car park, and were rolling around on the floor before being pulled apart!

Me and a mate ended up sat with Steve Bull at the bar at the Grosvenor Casino on Broad St about 4 or 5 years ago. Top bloke, happy to chat for ages whilst his Mrs played on the tables. Was happy to talk about England, scoring at Hampden, Italia 90, what a great guy Bobby Robson was etc. Then I had to ask him just how closed he'd come to ever joining Villa. He said that one summer he was sure that the deal was on, even had his bag packed ready to go, but for whatever reason it just never happened!

Great post!
We're the two '82 players Mortimer and Ormsby by any chance? I know Ormsby can't stand Mortimer.

I think Bull would have been great in a Villa shirt. I bet he wishes he joined us now.

[eamonn]

Does Gary Shaw know about the Go Kart Mozart song where he gets a whole verse dedicated to his goalscoring prowess?

[ACVilla]

Saw Tony Morley this morning coaching kids football in Mere Green.

Watched an FA Cup Final a few years ago at my brothers house with Paul Tait. Tongue firmly bit.

[saunders_heroes]

I saw Nigel Spink getting off the train at Sutton last night. He then phoned a taxi to take him to the Horse and Jockey.
I nearly said hello, but I bottled it.

[Dante Lavelli]

Question for y'all:  Do you think footballers like people saying hello/thanks when done politely?
Mourihno said the other day that one of the best things about London was that he's not pestered in the street by British people (mainly tourists).

I see the drummer out of blur probably once a week when I'm buying my toast before work and I'd love to say "thanks" for all the good times his band have given me, but I always bottle it as he's usually wearing a suit and off to the office just like me i.e. not in rock star mode.

[Clampy]

I saw Nigel Spink getting off the train at Sutton last night. He then phoned a taxi to take him to the Horse and Jockey.
I nearly said hello, but I bottled it.

He sat by us in the Holte the other week. We said hello after the game.

[charlie659]

I've seen Devlin jogging around Walmley on occasions so he still lives locally.

Love that merson story at Windsor. From memory Walsall actually lost that cup game!

Devlin does live locally (Sutton), his nipper is at the same school as mine and he drinks in The Duke.

[charlie659]

That's Gary Shaw.

Went to a Q & A last weekend with him, Sid & Tony Morley. He was asked to explain the feeling of scoring at the Holte End as a Villa fan, he said "against Small Heath, it was better than sex"
He is getting on a bit now I suppose :)

[villa kicks]

On the Bobby Charlton thing.  I think I posted on here a few years ago how on one occasion when the late Denis Howell MP attended out monthly Referees Association meeting (he was a member of our branch) he was asked to name some of the worst players he ever had to deal with.  The first name he came up with?...Bobby Charlton whom he said never stopped moaning from first whistle to last.

I always got the impression that Charlton was ashamed of where he came from, preferring to consider himself a Manc.  Probably irrational on my part.

Ask Ron Atkinson about him.

Always up for a dance is sir bobby so it all depends

[dave.woodhall]

That's Gary Shaw.

Went to a Q & A last weekend with him, Sid & Tony Morley. He was asked to explain the feeling of scoring at the Holte End as a Villa fan, he said "against Small Heath, it was better than sex"
He is getting on a bit now I suppose

"I had more women that season than I scored goals. I scored 23 goals." Bastard.

[villa kicks]

That only 2 a month

[dave.woodhall]

That only 2 a month

He had to go training.