Never meet your hero

[Percy McCarthy]

That's the spirit.

[se16]

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

Jim will be interested to hear that! He currently works at The Belfry as their senior physio and he tells some great tales of his time as a player at Derby under Cloughie and at the Villa.

[QBVILLA]

 

[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

Jim will be interested to hear that! He currently works at The Belfry as their senior physio and he tells some great tales of his time as a player at Derby under Cloughie and at the Villa.

      'its a miracle'


sorry it was his wife that passed away

[Archie]

I used to play for Bromsgrove Rovers in the very early 90's and Tony Grealish was there who I had spent time with when I was playing in the reserves/youth team at Walsall. Top bloke. Anyway, at training one night who waltzes in but Tony Morley. Imagine my dismay when he came across as an arrogant, big headed tw@t of a bloke, especially when I used to idolise him as a kid. Have met many villa players since but that stands out as the one time I wished I hadn't

That's a real surprise because he's always been one of the best of the lot.

Indeed. I had the chance to meet him several times and I remember that every time I asked to make a photo with us his answer was, invariably: it's MY pleasure. This is the typical British courtesy, that I adore, and the familiar spirit of Villa.

[robbo1874]

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.

Anyone know how you post pictures?

[dave shelley]

Taken in Bulgaria, 2008:


The bloke is an absolute gentleman. Get well soon Stan.

Super picture.

[Pat McMahon]

I left Brum 30 years ago so I have only met players on the pitch and swapped a few words. Peter Withe, Gary Shaw and Sid were top blokes. Am quite happy not to really meet my heroes but would be unable to resist talking to them if I were near them.

My nephew was in the children's hospital 12 years ago and Southgate and Merson spent over 20 minutes each with him. To this day they are his favourite ever players.

I took my nephew, then 5, to a Boxing Day game which was cancelled very late around 1994 - I think it was Liverpool, but may have been Man City. As we had nowt to do we waited by the players entrance and Yorkie drove out. People were grouped by his car so I found a scrap of paper and got the little un to the side of the car and asked Yorkie for an autograph. I said "Say hello then", to my  5 year old nephew, but Yorkie misunderstood, thought I was chastising him,  and then obediently said "Hello".

After all this positivity, isn't it time for Chico to mention his Andy Gray at Asda story. Or is he finally over it now?

[Darlo Dave]

Off the top of my head, I've met:

Andy Gray x 2 - Nice enough bloke.
Ian Taylor - Unsurprisingly, and absolute gent.
Andy Townsend x 3 - The third time being in Darlington High Street (while he was playing for Boro), and he was very surprised to meet a Villa fan that far North.
Alan Evans - While he was assistant manager. He gave me a scoop, that we were about to sign Sasa Curcic.
Des Bremner (many times) - His son's played for the Sunday League team, my Dad ran.

Away from football, I met Brian Lara in Barbados, on the last England tour in the West Indies. I'd been drinking all day, and unsurprisingly he wasn't too keen to talk to a drunken Englishman, slavering on about seeing him play for Warwickshire. Although to be fair, he did stop for photos to be taken.

Also me and my mate met Sonic Youth at the Holiday Inn in Camden, after we'd been to see them play at The Roundhouse. My mate commented, that him meeting Thurston Moore must be what it's like for normal people to meet Madonna or something. 

[Rip Van We Go Again]

In my dreams I've played football with Paul McGrath. I've sung with Aretha Franklin and I've been to bed with Megan Fox. In reality I've played snooker with Aretha Franklin, I've sung with Megan Fox and I've been to bed with Paul McGrath. Sometimes life can be even better than the dream.

[Percy McCarthy]

Jim Walker must be one hell of a physio.

[barrysleftfoot]

  David James walked into my door once, just after i had painted it, got red paint all over his T-shirt.Was fine with it, and quite a nice bloke.His then wife though was a bit scary.

  Met Ugo/Bozzie/Southgate/Yorkie/Staunton/Scmicea at Perry Barr dogs for a charity event once.Yorkie was lovely, signing any autograph, even going into the bar to sign more autographs.Bozzie was a knob.

 Shook Noel Blakes hand once in a night club in Brum.He was actually quite a nice fella.Used to go around with those pricks Gayle/Hopkins/and 2 or 3 other unforgettable bloose pricks, who were just w@@@@@s.

[olaftab]

If I was buying yes ! Selling no !

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)

That's a good answer and also good point about Smethwick.

[Vancouver]

I met Gary Shaw and Tony Morley in the Ads after a game. Shaw invited us into town for a drink. Then he said that he was other to another place and did we fancy coming along. We ended up in some social club, which was a house converted, in Smethick. We were the only white guys in there. By all accounts, Shaw loves his black girls*

*absolute no problem with any culture or skin colour. Just an observation

[Broughty-Villian]

Few years back when i stayed up in Aberdeen, I was out on the lash one night, when i saw some old Aberdeen players out celebrating there euro cup wins under Big Red Nose. I spoke to Strachan and Willie Miller, and TSM. the best was Mark Mcghee, who at the time was wolves manager, and making a pigs ear of it. my opening line to mr mcghee was " Take no notice of the press and the fans, i think you doing a brilliant job love you at the wolves......mind im a Villa fan" he laughed and strachan bought me a beer