Football Programmes Centre

Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

Was at Tranmere last night to watch the Tranmere v Liverpool game.Liverpool's Mark Grujic scored a stunning goal for the Reds in their 4-0 win.He looks a real prospect.lt got me thinking about pre - season games from the past.l spent a lot of time in Dublin as a kid in the late 1960s. Everton, Leeds and Man Unt would often send teams over for pre - season friendlies.I remember Man Unt playing At Dalymount Park against one of the lrish teams , probably 1968.You were quite close to the pitch and could hear everything being shouted. Can't remember too much about the game, but l do remember this exchange between Bobby Charlton and George Best. " George, when l pass the ball you move your arse!" Best was treating the game as a training exercise and just laughed. Funny the odd things you remember from the past.

littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1801 Location: Newport

I watched the game live on YouTube FP, and was very impressed with some of the kids - especially Ojo, Kent and Woodburn, who looks a real star in the making.

Also think Alexander-Arnold will push Nathan Clyne hard this season. Another great prospect.
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Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

I'm an Evertonian littlewiggy. I was there on a spying mission.Perhaps this season the Blues might finally win a derby! It did strike me that Liverpool might not need to spend crazy money at the moment. If Grujic and Woodburn are given a chance ,it could pay dividends. I remember watching Everton's Tom Davies last season in the reserves.He didn't strike me as anything special. Everton gave him a first team run, now he's being talked about as a future England prospect.

littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1801 Location: Newport

Grujic is a strange one FP, he looked very good in last year's pre season games too, but didn't seem suited to the intensity of the Premiership when the real business started.
Barely got a look in thereafter.

Maybe he's just one of those who needs time to adapt.

Wasn't Trent Alexander-Arnold on Everton's books as a small nipper mate. I'm sure I read that somewhere once?

Must admit I've been impressed with the quality of Everton's signings this summer, Pickford looks a terrific prospect and the Ajax lad in particular has very impressive goal-scoring stats from midfield.

If the Toffees get Sigurdsson & Keane too, they'll have invested the Lukaku dosh very wisely I think.
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Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

Littlewiggy, l do wonder if Rooney will turn out to be the key signing? Perhaps a future Everton manager in a couple of years, similarlly Gerrard at Liverpool. Those two could be in charge of the Blues and Reds one day.

littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1801 Location: Newport

Yes I have been wondering where the Rooney return leaves Barkley mate, as I don't really see them in the same side.
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Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

Looks like the Barkley situation will be sorted out if Sigurdsson signs from Swansea .Another top signing if it goes through.The grandson is off to Wigan tonight to watch Salah make his debut for your team..That's dedication for you!

nozer · Joined: 24 Mar 2011 Posts: 1109 Location: Liverpool

Flaming Pie wrote:

Was at Tranmere last night to watch the Tranmere v Liverpool game.Liverpool's Mark Grujic scored a stunning goal for the Reds in their 4-0 win.He looks a real prospect.lt got me thinking about pre - season games from the past.l spent a lot of time in Dublin as a kid in the late 1960s. Everton, Leeds and Man Unt would often send teams over for pre - season friendlies.I remember Man Unt playing At Dalymount Park against one of the lrish teams , probably 1968.You were quite close to the pitch and could hear everything being shouted. Can't remember too much about the game, but l do remember this exchange between Bobby Charlton and George Best. " George, when l pass the ball you move your arse!" Best was treating the game as a training exercise and just laughed. Funny the odd things you remember from the past.

Remember asking B.C. for his autograph at Molineux late 60 told to duck off and get out of his way really nice guy.
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Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

Hi nozer, you must have caught Bobby Charlton on a bad day.About 30 years ago, l wrote to Sir Matt asking for help with a college project l was working on .The response came back from Bobby Charlton.The man could not have been more helpful.Brian Clough was the same, a very helpful bloke, although he let himself down later with his Hillsborough remarks. Here's a tale about a real nasty sports star.When the tournament at Wimbledon came to an end in the1960s, most of the top players came to play at the Hoylake tournament the following week. .My wife remembers asking Virginia Wade for her autograph ..Because most of the kids only had slips of paper ,she was signing them and throwing them on the floor, telling them to buy an autograph book if they wanted a signature.. How's that for a national treasure!

littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1801 Location: Newport

As a kid I used to loiter for hours outside Somerton Park waiting for the players to arrive, and the opposition's team bus if anybody really famous was going to be on it.

Worst I ever encountered Nozer was Billy Bremner.
I asked him really politely for his autograph, calling him "Mr Bremner" etc, and he pushed me out of the way and told me to go and f*** myself.

I was only about 11 and he scared me if I'm honest.
It was his tone more than the words I think, he really snarled at me and called me "laddy."

Very Happy

I stopped getting autographs after that and have never really been interested in them since.
So I blame Billy!

Laughing

Talking to mates over the years, the best I ever heard about was Kevin Keegan.
He would stand and sign for an hour or more until every single kid had an autograph.
Always had the impression when I was young that he was a bit of a big head, but it appears I couldn't have been farther from the truth.
Everybody I know who has met him has said he's great.
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Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

Our experiences as kids( or even as adults) trying to obtain autographs could be a topic on its own. Kevin Keegan seems to be a lovely bloke.The joke around Newcastle when he was manager, was that someone once saw him standing in the city centre in Newcastle, trying to find someone who didn't have his signature! I wish there was more like him .l remember writing to my first football hero, Bobby Collins, when he was playing for Everton.When l opened the stamped addressed envelope that l had enclosed it was empty.My dad wrote to Everton and told them what he thought of them .l received a pre - printed set of autographs by return post. As a kid you didn't really know that they were not the real thing. Bill Shankly was interesting .He would stand and chat about football in the car park at Anfield." Have you played today son?" Never thought of asking him for his autograph. I wish l had. .It was the players you were after! Apparently Bobby Moore was a great man with the autograph hunters.

derby1884 · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:01 pm Post subject:

littlewiggy wrote:

Worst I ever encountered Nozer was Billy Bremner.
I asked him really politely for his autograph, calling him "Mr Bremner" etc, and he pushed me out of the way and told me to go and f*** myself.

.

We have something in common, Liam - he told me to f*ck off when he was manager of Doncaster and all I did was say "hi, Billy".
I don't even know why I said it as I could never stand him as a player so it was no shock to find he was, in real life, a nasty piece of work.
No love lost between Leeds and Derby but I didn't even let on who I supported!
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littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1801 Location: Newport

Bobby Moore signed my programme at Roots Hall in 1985, when he was manager of Southend FP.
I wasn't even seeking him, it was a chance encounter when I was leaving one pub and looking for another.
Oh there's Bobby Moore over there, somebody said.

He was a lovely guy, he even ruffled my hair and told me to behave myself, despite the fact I was 17 and half cut!
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littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1801 Location: Newport

derby1884 wrote:

littlewiggy wrote:

Worst I ever encountered Nozer was Billy Bremner.
I asked him really politely for his autograph, calling him "Mr Bremner" etc, and he pushed me out of the way and told me to go and f*** myself.

.

We have something in common, Liam - he told me to f*ck off when he was manager of Doncaster and all I did was say "hi, Billy".
I don't even know why I said it as I could never stand him as a player so it was no shock to find he was, in real life, a nasty piece of work.
No love lost between Leeds and Derby but I didn't even let on who I supported!

I have a memory like a sieve buddy, but I can still picture him, in his thick sheepskin coat, fur collar pulled right up, barely any taller than me at 11 but considerably more stout.

His reaction really shocked me. lol
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derby1884 · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:19 pm Post subject:

littlewiggy wrote:

derby1884 wrote:

littlewiggy wrote:

Worst I ever encountered Nozer was Billy Bremner.
I asked him really politely for his autograph, calling him "Mr Bremner" etc, and he pushed me out of the way and told me to go and f*** myself.

.

We have something in common, Liam - he told me to f*ck off when he was manager of Doncaster and all I did was say "hi, Billy".
I don't even know why I said it as I could never stand him as a player so it was no shock to find he was, in real life, a nasty piece of work.
No love lost between Leeds and Derby but I didn't even let on who I supported!

I have a memory like a sieve buddy, but I can still picture him, in his thick sheepskin coat, fur collar pulled right up, barely any taller than me at 11 but considerably more stout.

His reaction really shocked me. lol

He didn't shock me - I can well understand why Kevin Keegan clocked him one that day.
Wee nyaff (as we say up here)
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littlewiggy · Joined: 07 Apr 2013 Posts: 1801 Location: Newport

Haha yes, I forgot about the famous Keegan chinning circa 1974.
Mighty Mouse gave him a surprise that day!

And the unsubstantiated ... "You give us a penalty wee man and I'll give you a grand" ... slurs of the Revie-era.

Incidentally, he was Doncaster manager when he put the wind up me as well.
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derby1884 · Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2017 11:23 pm Post subject:

I was at Pittodrie pre-season 1973/74 for Aberdeen v Manchester City and well remember the crowd singing the Peters & Lee hit "Welcome Home" to Denis Law, Printfield's most famous son!

Printfield was - and still is - one of the, shall we say, "less salubrious" areas of the city....

Those were the days when AFC would have one pre-season home against a top English club. Every season I hoped it would be Derby - and every season I would be disappointed.
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Pete’s Picture Palace · Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2017 1:59 am Post subject:

A mate of mine (another Palace fan) collected autographs in the 60's when he was a kid. He used to travel to all the London training grounds and wait till they were finished and pounce.

After the 66 World Cup he went to West Ham and there were crowds of dozens of boys waiting with their autograph books. Bobby Moore came out and the kids swarmed round him. He told them to form a queue and they did. My mate got his book signed then went to the back of the queue to get him to sign it again. Bobby recognised him and gave him a gentle clip round the ear and told him not to be so cheeky, with a grin.

I've never been one for autographs till I went to a few player reunions about 10-15 years ago and all the old players were always ready to sign.

In 2005 someone put me in touch with Bill Wyman, the Stones bassist, and said Bill was trying to contact Terry Long (Palace 1955-69) as he was Bill's boyhood hero. Could I help? You bet I could as Terry had been to these reunions and the organiser was my mate the autograph hunter above. So I managed to get Terry to write to Bill Wyman, would you believe. And for my pains Bill sent me a letter with this photo. I believe Terry was gob-smacked when he heard that he was Bill's hero!

Ronsaunders · Joined: 11 Feb 2010 Posts: 296

I started to collect autographs in the early 70's when my father arranged for Charlie Aitken to get my autograph book signed by the Villa team who played Notts in December 1973. Collected them ever since until a few years ago. Whilst people like Dion Dublin is a gent, the arrogance of certain players just put me off and this was just compounded by the modern day players who seem to judge a scribble and a number as an autograph. I wonder if they sign their multi million pound contracts in such a manner? Probably not.

The worst for autographs for me were Peter Schmeichel (consistently a horrid, horrid person regardless of whether the collector is 60 or 6) and Roy Keane who is just a thoroughly ill mannered person. Honourable mentions must go to "Saint" Gary Lineker and David Platt. And these are not positive honourable mentions.

Flaming Pie · Joined: 26 Nov 2016 Posts: 931

The true greats such as Pele ,Muhammad Ali and Bobby Moore appear to have been fantastic with autograph hunters.l have heard stories about British fans waiting outside Ali's home in America, in the hope of meeting him.He would often take them in and look after them, signing whatever they wanted and giving them signed boxing memorabilia. . I know this is likely to be true, because when Ali died, Larry Holmes was talking about him and said the man would literally give you the shirt off his back! In the late 1960s, a couple Beatles' fans once once travelled over from lreland to Lennon's house in London.They wanted to meet him and obtain his autograph .After signing, they cheekily asked him for a piece of memorabiliia , a tie or someting. Lennon said hang on. He then went in the house and came back with a gold disc telling them that they could keep it, The girls couldn't believe it. I think he told them that it would probably mean more to them than it did to him.