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Author Topic: 11th December 1976  (Read 12499 times)

Offline steamer

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #30 on: April 14, 2015, 09:38:38 PM »
JG
I saw your dad make his home debut on a week night against Manure, he was brilliant, you knew that here was a special talent. we lost 2-1 and he scored.
The following season we beat them 3-2 with your dad scoring 2. As I am sure you know he was on a disciplinary for giving the Utd fans two fingered salute.
His defence was he was reminding them that he scored 2.
I was devastated when he left, but he was a young man and I guess fame, fortune  and the desire to own a night club were never going to make him popular with Ron.
Certainly in my circle of Villa fans, apart from the method of his leaving most rate him as the best centre forward of their generation.
My Everton supporting mates see him as one of theirs and are dismissive of his time at the Villa.
Without checking his Stats, it would be interesting for his position. Probably not a fair question.
Steamer

Offline in exile

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #31 on: April 15, 2015, 08:30:41 AM »
JG - The man was a favourite of mine and a Villa legend

Offline JG

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #32 on: April 15, 2015, 09:00:24 AM »
Hi Steamer, I can answer that for you, no problem. He has a great deal of affection for both Villa & Everton, as Villa was his peak as a player & individual accolades & Everton was a period of great team success, winning a lot of trophies in a short period of time.

With Villa he had 2 periods as a player over 6 seasons & a spell as assistant manager, which are pretty big ties to the club. The first spell 75-79 was his absolute peak as a player, he was never as good after as he was in this time. He scored a lot of goals, golden boot winner & double PFA winner. He's still the last Villa player to score 25 league goals in a season. As an individual this is the best time of his career, as he was at his best. It was a real shame how it ended with Ron, but somewhat inevitable probably.

With Everton he was only there 18 months, but he won the league, FA Cup & Euro CWC. He wasn't the player he was at Villa, but Everton were a struggling team until he arrived so the fans associate his arrival with the turn around in the clubs fortunes & they had huge success. It's not hard to see why he has a lot of happiness associated with this time in his career, it means an awful lot to him.

These days Everton can't do enough for him, whilst Villa won't even give him a match ticket, which is a shame given his history at Villa Park.


Online Brend'Watkins

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #33 on: April 15, 2015, 02:34:41 PM »
He was a coach for a while with Atkinson until he got a sniff of the Sky Gig so they have done something for him.  I suppose they way in which he left didn't go down too well.  I'm not sure.  Anyway, he was the bravest player I've seen in all my years supporting the club.  He had great timing and that uncanny forward's instinct for goals.

I used to go to the Holy City Zoo back in the day, great club but was even better under the new management after your Dad sold up.  Your uncle Duncan ran it for him you probably know.  What's he like these days as back then he was a vile little shit?  he hasn't tainted my memory of your dad though.

Offline JG

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #34 on: April 15, 2015, 03:17:48 PM »
He was Ron's assistant, but Sky said he couldn't do both jobs once they'd secured the Premier League rights. Sky was the obvious choice to make, a lot more job security  ;)

Sounds like a fair description of Uncle Duncs, his grumpiness is a standing family joke

Offline montague

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #35 on: April 16, 2015, 12:47:33 PM »
Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward

You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!

I've heard worse......

Hey JG I'm really sorry about this remark - if I had known that his son was posting on here I would never have made it. For what its worth your dad was my hero as a kid and I was heartbroken when he left and the way things panned out when he played against us. I endorse those who are saying he is the best no 9 to play for the Villa and that is saying something.

Offline Godfrey Brian

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #36 on: April 16, 2015, 01:23:23 PM »
A great piece of Hugh Johns' commentary in there."And Brian Little rises like a....er..trout"!

Offline JG

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #37 on: April 16, 2015, 06:27:46 PM »
Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward

You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!

I've heard worse......

Hey JG I'm really sorry about this remark - if I had known that his son was posting on here I would never have made it. For what its worth your dad was my hero as a kid and I was heartbroken when he left and the way things panned out when he played against us. I endorse those who are saying he is the best no 9 to play for the Villa and that is saying something.

I appreciate the apology pal, but it's honestly not necessary. As I said, I've heard worse & I accept that it's par for the course with someone with a media profile, however hard it is to hear at times.
Seems to be a fair few people who felt let down by how he left the club, but this kind of sentiment is reserved for players who mean something to the fans, so it's nice to hear.

Online Brend'Watkins

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #38 on: April 17, 2015, 11:35:30 AM »
I've just been talking to a friend and now ex pat who I have just met at the Post Office.  We were talking about Sunday's game and the Villa in general when she piped up with "did you know Andy Gray is now out in Qatar?" I didn't. Working in TV I believe. She's met him a few times.  She also went on to tell me that one of her colleagues a big Arsenal fan is a massive fan of Andy, his favourite center forward ever by all accounts.  We both had that puzzled look that says "Arsenal fan...Andy Gary...how does that work?" 

Offline class-of-82

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #39 on: April 17, 2015, 07:21:16 PM »
Jg
Just read your bit about ya dad (legend) that the villa won't even give him a match ticket an absolute fooking disgrace in my mind

Offline villan from luton

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #40 on: April 17, 2015, 10:53:10 PM »
Hi Steamer, I can answer that for you, no problem. He has a great deal of affection for both Villa & Everton, as Villa was his peak as a player & individual accolades & Everton was a period of great team success, winning a lot of trophies in a short period of time.

With Villa he had 2 periods as a player over 6 seasons & a spell as assistant manager, which are pretty big ties to the club. The first spell 75-79 was his absolute peak as a player, he was never as good after as he was in this time. He scored a lot of goals, golden boot winner & double PFA winner. He's still the last Villa player to score 25 league goals in a season. As an individual this is the best time of his career, as he was at his best. It was a real shame how it ended with Ron, but somewhat inevitable probably.

With Everton he was only there 18 months, but he won the league, FA Cup & Euro CWC. He wasn't the player he was at Villa, but Everton were a struggling team until he arrived so the fans associate his arrival with the turn around in the clubs fortunes & they had huge success. It's not hard to see why he has a lot of happiness associated with this time in his career, it means an awful lot to him.

These days Everton can't do enough for him, whilst Villa won't even give him a match ticket, which is a shame given his history at Villa Park.



Jamie, 76-77 season was absolutely brilliant football from the Villa, and your old man won both PFA awards and rightly so. Him and Brian Little were a fabulous combination and he will always go in my memory as one of the bravest, exciting players ever. Villa may have been his best football as an individual, but he was a proper team player

Offline pooligan

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #41 on: April 18, 2015, 06:49:26 PM »
Jg

I have seen some pretty good centre forwards play for Villa since i started watching back in the 60s.Players like Dougan,Hateley,Lochhead,Withe,Little,Angel,Dublin and Benteke.All of them i  have enjoyed watching but your father i rate above the lot of them. He had the lot and was a idol for most Villa fans. I was gutted when Saunders sold him and Gidman but i guess how things worked out,it was good for both Villa and your dad.

Offline wittonwarrior

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #42 on: April 18, 2015, 09:20:01 PM »
The way he left just was not right.  The supporters idolised him and it appeared that just because the results were not coming (for a short period) both Gray and Gidman wanted  out.

Not many people see eye to eye with their boss all the time, so  would never give too much  credence to that theory.

Am very disappointed however that Villa have sidestepped Gray in recent years - again just not right, he returned to the club as player and later as coach/assistant manager. 

"oh Andy the greatest the Holte  End say, oh Andy oh Andy we're be with you all the way"

Offline JG

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #43 on: April 21, 2015, 03:56:38 PM »
The way he left just was not right.  The supporters idolised him and it appeared that just because the results were not coming (for a short period) both Gray and Gidman wanted  out.

Not many people see eye to eye with their boss all the time, so  would never give too much  credence to that theory.

Am very disappointed however that Villa have sidestepped Gray in recent years - again just not right, he returned to the club as player and later as coach/assistant manager. 

"oh Andy the greatest the Holte  End say, oh Andy oh Andy we're be with you all the way"

Unfortunately the relationship between Dad & Mr Saunders had broken down beyond repair, which is why Dad left. Nothing to do with results on the pitch, Dad loved playing for that team. There is 2 sides to everything & no doubt Ron disapproved of Dad's lifestyle, but he accused Dad of feigning injury & cheating the team & Dad couldn't forgive him for this. Dad played injured so often for Ron, pumped full of Corteson & everyone who saw him knows he never gave less than 150% effort. Still, these things happen & im sure Ron would have his version. I certainly don't want to speak badly of him, he is rightly regarded as a club legend & ultimately he was justified in selling Dad & bringing in another club legend in Peter Withe, who Dad gets on great with.

Thanks for everyone's kind words, I can't tell you how much they are appreciated.

For the record I recently asked him who his favourite team mate was ever, the guy he loved playing with above all others in any team. Without hesitation he said Brian Little.

Offline wittonwarrior

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Re: 11th December 1976
« Reply #44 on: April 21, 2015, 10:16:28 PM »
JG I am really surprised by your last remark, without knowing I would have said Grahame Sharp  (both Scottish) both very confident players. 

It was the bullet header against Man Utd that sold himself to me.  He was the time the best centre forward in Britain without a shadow of a doubt. 

When you think back to the kind of player he was think in terms of a Dixie Dean, Peter McParland - a kind of cannonball - if he was playing today no doubt would be sent off week after week.  PS do me a favour and get me a signed photo of your dad xx

 


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