Never meet your hero

[TRO]

Les Smith, 1957 FA cup winner for us, was of all things Bingo Caller at my uncles club, in Pool Lane, Clent for many years before his death.

[TRO]

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.

I wondered why I'd seen him in B&Q Halesowen. Didn't realise he was that local.

[Ian.]

I won a signed shirt in the Hospitality sweet in the Witton End and it was presented by Alan Wright. I think he was surprised he was giving the shirt to a chap actually smaller than him. He probably had a good inch on me.

Doug gave a speech that afternoon too which was quite good to be fair. Mind you it was a free bar all day and I was pretty drunk by then.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Had an amusing text off a mate (a Wolves fan) the other day who found himself sat next to Deadly Doug on a flight back from Majorca last week and chatted to him all the way home.

I asked what they spoke about and he replied (amongst other things); all his business interests, his brewery in Aston, his cider farm in Devon, then an in depth chat about how he created the package holiday, all the managers he's hired and fired. He then said, interesting chap, but he kept repeating many of these things again and again!

[Linus]

Five pages and no mention of Andy Gray & AsDa?

[Dave Clark Five]

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

Peter came into the Lions Club about 2/3 times last season. I spoke to him for a few minutes and found him to be a lovely bloke.

[dave.woodhall]

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

Peter came into the Lions Club about 2/3 times last season. I spoke to him for a few minutes and found him to be a lovely bloke.

I've seen Gary Shaw and Gordon Cowans queue for his autograph. That's the very definition of a legend.

[Trinitymiddle]

Had an amusing text off a mate (a Wolves fan) the other day who found himself sat next to Deadly Doug on a flight back from Majorca last week and chatted to him all the way home.

I asked what they spoke about and he replied (amongst other things); all his business interests, his brewery in Aston, his cider farm in Devon, then an in depth chat about how he created the package holiday, all the managers he's hired and fired. He then said, interesting chap, but he kept repeating many of these things again and again!

Doug. The Man. The Myth. The Ego.

Surprised he's not bored himself telling the same stories for the last 40 years.

[Flamingo Lane]

Circa 1978 I was lucky enough to chat with Dennis Mortimer (and his wife) in the bar of the Birmingham Odeon before a Rod Stewart concert.  We'd lost to Blues the night before.  A great chap.

[Dave Clark Five]

When we played Ipswich in the Youth Cup, I spoke to Sammy Morgan, who was with them, about the two epic Arsenal cup ties in which he featured. He was either taking the piss or had forgotten all about them. Mind you, I had the same when I spoke to Dennis Mortimer about that great goal he scored against Liverpool at Villa Park when he took the ball from not far off the half way line.

[garyshawsknee]

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.

What a story tlp,you've made my night,as hes the reason I support us. UTV.

[Matt Collins]

I sympathise with players in some respects. Catch someone on a vaguely bad day and suddenly you're reported as being a tool to the world.

[peter w]

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've sat in a pavilion with Martin Crowe, Ian Botham and Viv Richards.

Villa-wise I've met Ron Saunders, Gary Shaw, Ugo Ehiogu, Des Bremner, Dwight Yorke, Martin Carruthers and Bryan Small. All top blokes.

[Vancouver]

Ref. Staunton, do you think it's because we all royally booed him on his Liverpool return to Villa Park when he got sent off?

If i recall correctly, it was never a sending off in a million years. But one of the funniest things I've witnessed as he stormed off down the tunnel to all four stands jeering and mocking him.

My uncle plays golf with him now and then and we met up with Staunton in a bar in town. He was on his own drinking in his Liverpool jacket. I had a decent enough conversation with him whilst also pretending to be young player with some old bird. Didn't work though.
Anyway, my dad has met him several times and been drinking with him when we bump into him at Villa Park. He would use a different entrance to the players. Dad say hello, he ignores and walks right past. I pissed myself laughing!

[dave.woodhall]

In Staunton's defence, I've been told that his father was a policeman close to the border during the Troubles, and this may have made him wary of talking to strangers, hence his standoffishness.