Never meet your hero

[Hoppo]

Ive had the pleasure of having a pint with Tony Morley and Sid.. both fantastic company and proper gents. Morley was in The Ads a couple of seasons back he loved the attention.

[Legion]

I also had the pleasure of dinner with Peter McParland at Perry Barr Greyhound stadium at another FPA charity event. A real gentleman.

[VinnieChase84]

Met several players over the years but my favorite 'sighting' was Nigel Spink who sat with us (well a couple of rows in front) for the League Cup Semi (1st leg) in '96 at Highbury.  I thought that was class.

As a side note, I recall that game being played on Valentines day, my wife (at the time) wasn't happy as I told her I was taking her to London for the day with her not realising we were Highbury bound on the evening!!       

HERO!

[Rip Van We Go Again]

I also had the pleasure of dinner with Peter McParland at Perry Barr Greyhound stadium at another FPA charity event. A real gentleman.

Sat with him on two occasions, lovely bloke.

[Legion]

Charlie Aitken was my manager for one match. An unforgettable experience.

[bertlambshank]

I was on my honeymoon (a cruise round the med) and Rambo was on board.A big unit who didn't mind sharing his cigars with a fellow Villain.

[rutski]

my all time sporting hero is Sir Ian Botham,

i've seen him in one of those talk night things with Viv Richards but never met him one to one,
i bet he's a top bloke though

i have met Sir Ian at Russells hall hospital, he opened the georgina ward where leukaemia patients are treated. I called him Mr Botham to which he responded, you sound like you are talking to my Dad, I am Ian to you Mark! Top Man!

[VinnieChase84]

I remember meeting all the players at BMH when I was 8. Completely star struck. Andy Townsend was my fav back then along with God and got to mumble some words at them.
I vividly remember haing taken along as much Vilala stuff for them to multiply sign as possible. I've still got a villa panini sticker album signed by the whole squad somewhere

[Malandro]

I think the only footballer I met when I was a kid was Alan Cork, can't believe I'm admitting I was star struck by him! (Not that he played for Villa, just that he was a real player)

He signed an autograph and had a kick about!

[eric woolban woolban]

I met Shaun Teale when he was managing Burscough and he was great.

I talk to him on FB. He responds back to all. Top man.

Thought you were on about Legion for a minute. (Who is all the above too :O) )

[UK Redsox]

Does meeting Legion count ?

[The Laughing Policeman]

When I moved to Harborne seven years ago I was sitting in the garden one day and one of my neighbours daughters walked past and spotted that I was wearing the 82/83 Champions Of Europe shirt, she started chatting to me about my support for the Villa and then asked me if I'd met Gary Shaw. I said no. She said she was a friend of his and she'd ask him if he'd come to meet me.
I thought no more of it and a couple of days later there was a knock at my door, when I opened it she was there with Gary. To say I was awestruck would be an understatement.
We sat out in the garden talking about his time as a player, he'd bought a photo of himself and Tony Morley in Rotterdam with the European Cup which he signed, he sat chatting to me for about an hour and as he was about to leave he asked me for the photo back and said he'd get Tony Morley to sign it as well. Sure enough about a week later he was at my door with the photo duly signed.
Since that time we have become friends and I've had many a pint or three with him in my local, trouble is nine times out of ten he'll ask me a question about some really obscure part of the clubs history and when I can't answer he says "you're not a real Villa fan."
Another friend of mine asked him to sign her European Cup Final shirt, he did so and then offered to take it away and get as many of the team as he could to sign it. About a month later the shirt was returned fully signed apart from Peter Withe who was living in Australia.
The man is a true gent.

[Quiet Lion]

I met Mellberg, Laursen & (Sorenson as well, but meh) on the tube once.

It will please everyone to know that Mellberg hated DOL and was more than happy to chat and came across as a good guy all round.

[Legion]

Currently looking at house prices in Harborne...

[Trinitymiddle]

When I moved to Harborne seven years ago I was sitting in the garden one day and one of my neighbours daughters walked past and spotted that I was wearing the 82/83 Champions Of Europe shirt, she started chatting to me about my support for the Villa and then asked me if I'd met Gary Shaw. I said no. She said she was a friend of his and she'd ask him if he'd come to meet me.
I thought no more of it and a couple of days later there was a knock at my door, when I opened it she was there with Gary. To say I was awestruck would be an understatement.
We sat out in the garden talking about his time as a player, he'd bought a photo of himself and Tony Morley in Rotterdam with the European Cup which he signed, he sat chatting to me for about an hour and as he was about to leave he asked me for the photo back and said he'd get Tony Morley to sign it as well. Sure enough about a week later he was at my door with the photo duly signed.
Since that time we have become friends and I've had many a pint or three with him in my local, trouble is nine times out of ten he'll ask me a question about some really obscure part of the clubs history and when I can't answer he says "you're not a real Villa fan."
Another friend of mine asked him to sign her European Cup Final shirt, he did so and then offered to take it away and get as many of the team as he could to sign it. About a month later the shirt was returned fully signed apart from Peter Withe who was living in Australia.
The man is a true gent.

Great story. I idolised Shaw as a kid. Glad to hear he's a top bloke.