Never meet your hero

[Hillbilly]

Having spent a fair amount of time in Louth, Staunton's home county, I can report he's not unusual. They're all miserable buggers.

[simboy]

Tony Morley is a top man - his lad plays football at the same club as mine also at a five-a-side club. Comes to the games, talks to everyone and on presentation nights always happy to lend a hand if asked.

[amfy]

For my Dad's 70th Birthday I sent a card via the club for Peter McParland to sign, with a letter jokingly asking him to my Dad's birthday party. A couple of weeks later the phone rang and it was Peter McParland! He said he was sorry that he couldn't make the party but that he would give my dad a ring on his Birthday if I gave him the number.
On the day it was a nightmare trying to make sure my Dad was in the house for the call whilst keeping it as a surprise, but sure enough he did call and they chatted for about 20 minutes, and then arranged to go out for a drink!
They are still in touch.

[john e]

For my Dad's 70th Birthday I sent a card via the club for Peter McParland to sign, with a letter jokingly asking him to my Dad's birthday party. A couple of weeks later the phone rang and it was Peter McParland! He said he was sorry that he couldn't make the party but that he would give my dad a ring on his Birthday if I gave him the number.
On the day it was a nightmare trying to make sure my Dad was in the house for the call whilst keeping it as a surprise, but sure enough he did call and they chatted for about 20 minutes, and then arranged to go out for a drink!
They are still in touch.

thats an amazing story

[The Laughing Policeman]

Currently looking at house prices in Harborne...

Just a bit cheaper than next door Edgbaston.

[olaftab]

I was a big fan of Juan Pablo Angel. I was staying in the Radisson in  Liverpool back in 2005 I think. Liverpool had a champions league game against Galatasaray and they were also in the same hotel. Whilst sitting in the lobby about 10.30/1045 I started talking to an Australian chap. His company make the ice suits that players wear after the ice bath. He told me tha JPA is here as he is a very good friend of Turkish' teams Colombian goalkeeper.  About 10 mins later a coach arrived and players started entering milling around the lobby. I spotted JP standing there talking to someone. I normally never do this but this time I went  up to him and said something like "hi I am a Villa fan and really pleased to meet you" and stuck my hand out to hopefully shake his. The wanker just stood still arms folded and than turned away and started talking to another player.  Since than I have stuck to my policy as normally my attitude is yeah they are there ...fine.

[andrew08]

Currently looking at house prices in Harborne...

Just a bit cheaper than next door Edgbaston.

Not the bit of Edgbaston I live in it ain't.

Mind you it's strange round here, property prices go up in a one mile line something like this smethwick,bearwood (which is smethwick ),Edgbaston (where I live) ,harborne and back to Edgbaston( the posh bit by the Botanical Gardens).

I live 800 yards from Sandwell on a new build estate.My bit of the estate is in Edgbaston, an identical house to mine built at the same time 4 years ago but in Sandwell 40k less.

I think schooling is one of the big reasons

[olaftab]

For my Dad's 70th Birthday I sent a card via the club for Peter McParland to sign, with a letter jokingly asking him to my Dad's birthday party. A couple of weeks later the phone rang and it was Peter McParland! He said he was sorry that he couldn't make the party but that he would give my dad a ring on his Birthday if I gave him the number.
On the day it was a nightmare trying to make sure my Dad was in the house for the call whilst keeping it as a surprise, but sure enough he did call and they chatted for about 20 minutes, and then arranged to go out for a drink!
They are still in touch.

Fantastic. I guess Peter is from an era when footballers were a little closer to common fan.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I met Chico in the Holte Pub before a Villa game a few years ago - had my picture taken with him, bought him a pint of cider.

I was so nervous that the only thing I could think to say to him was " Our cat is called Chico Hamilton". What a complete dick I must have looked. Then he said to me " Dudley Zoo had a polar bear called Chico Hamilton in 1976"

How mad, of all the things you could talk about with your heroes and I end up discussing cats and zoo creatures with Chico.

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

I met Sid Cowans and Tony Morley in a bar after the 6 a side Masters at Coventry a few years ago. In fairness to them, neither appeared to be too awestruck when meeting me although I did have to turn down Mr Morley's generous offer of a pint of lager.

[olaftab]

Not the bit of Edgbaston I live in it ain't.

Mind you it's strange round here, property prices go up in a one mile line something like this smethwick,bearwood (which is smethwick ),Edgbaston (where I live) ,harborne and back to Edgbaston( the posh bit by the Botanical Gardens).

I live 800 yards from Sandwell on a new build estate.My bit of the estate is in Edgbaston, an identical house to mine built at the same time 4 years ago but in Sandwell 40k less.

I think schooling is one of the big reasons

It's really Winson Green ... Isn't it?

[andrew08]

A few of us met up with Doug, Steve Stride and Mark Ansell in a bar in Northern Spain the night before a pre season game or inter toto can't remember, pretty sure it was Vigo.

Any way they were drinking with the Air hostesses from the charter jet that took the team over ( I wander what they saw in those 3 eh) so we rock up and buy them a drink, the directors of Villa that is not the trolley dollies, and get into a conversation with Doug. Which was memorable for 2 reasons:
 
He asked us our opinion on David Ginola, as his wages would be very expensive and would the fans like him. We signed him after they got back so you can thank us for that.

Then in a classic Doug 'in touch with the common man' moment he offered us a lift back to Brum on the chartered plane. We declined on the basis that our cars were at Gatwick. His response.....' just send a driver to collect them'

The night was also notable for the sight of our now former director Mark Ansell falling off his bar stool backwards totally pissed covering himself in his beer in the process. Oh for a smart phone back then.

[andrew08]

[/quote]
It's really Winson Green ... Isn't it?

If I was buying yes ! Selling no !

I can't actually get resolution on the issue, the main thing when we purchased the place was it had to be in Brum, subsequently though we've voted in Ladywood for the council elections and also Harborne bizarrely. I get newsletters from the North West Edgbaston neighbourhood people, my parish church is Edgbaston, and the council roads department classify us as Edgbaston. Royal Mail call us just Birmingham B16.

I go on the fact that my grandparents lived about a mile away (closer to Winson Green in fact) and it was always Edgbaston then. I would say Winson Green starts at the junction of City Road/Dudley Road. Strangely as well George Dixon school is in Harborne these days as well.

If anyone is familiar with the area my house is virtually opposite the gates of the old Mitchell and Butlers footy pitches on City Road (Edgbaston or Winson Green or Ladywood but absolutely under no circumstances Smethwick, Sandwellshire)





[/quote]

[john e]

was in Bilbao in 1997 for our UEFA cup match, sitting in one of the bars well before the game with my lad who was only 9 at the time.
along came Jim walker, he sat down had a chat for a good 15 minuets, no rush, he even thanked us for coming like you do to your guests at a wedding,

like i said before i havent met many Villa players or staff personaly, but i dont think any would come any nicer than Jim,
sadly now the late Jim Walker

[darren woolley]

I've met a lot of Villa players Gareth Barry bought me a pint in London I've met Dean Saunders, and Ian Taylor and a lot of other Villa players but the one that made me starstruck was meeting Paul McGrath really top top man I had my picture taken with him and got his autograph really nice man.