Oakwell Legend

Ive had the surreal pleasure today to spend about 10 mins talking to one of my boyhood hero's Allan Clarke.
It seemed really weird to acually meet and talk to someone who, so many of your best childhood memories are linked with.
He came across as an absolute gentleman who talked incredibly honestly about his time at Barnsley, and I'm still in a bit of shock (in a nice way} to have met him.
Has anyone else ever met a hero and felt a bit like this?
The only time I've ever met an "icon" before I wanted to twit him, but thats a differant story.

 

Met Neil Diamond a few times and always seem to make an ass of myself, re Clarkie

great to see him to-day, he looked really good, he must be 60'ish now, good to see he got a great reception, during his first spell at the club, not only did he put in some excellent performances but I believe he transformed a lot of the thinking at the club from a "we are just a small town team" to a feeling/belief that we could do better, he got us from the 4th div and it was mainly his team that Big Norm took up to div 2 after 21 years (God I hope we dont have to wait that long this time)

 

Sniffer was always my favourite player when I was a kid and when he later came to Oakwell it was a great moment for me. He turned us from 4th division dross into a special team. I wish I'd had the gumption to shake his hand when he walked past me to today.

ps for all those wondering why he also clapped the Walsall fans, thats where he started his playing career.

 

I said to my cousin we should go to the front to shake his hand

as well, it really was a special moment to day, short of Redders, Hendrie and McCarthy possibly the best legend we could have had to return (left out Glav cause he was here a couple of seasons ago)

 

Before my time

I remember reading about him as a manager, but not as a player.

I take it he was something special for Barnsley Football Club?

 

RE: Met Neil Diamond a few times and always seem to make an ass of myself, re Clarkie

How do you get to meet Neil Diamond a few times?
Once is good luck, a few times is something else!

 

when he stood in the middle of the pitch

with his arms raised clapping the fans it reminded me of when he was a player. Does anyone remember his goalscoring celebration?. Always played with the sleeves of his shirt pulled over his hands and when he scored always celebrated by raising one hand in the air and walking back to the half way line. Pure class.

Didn't play enough games for England in my opinion. Martin Chivers and Mick Channon kept him out, I think Ramsey had lost his marbles by then!!

 

tha needs a serious history lesson

there was life at oakwell before 1997

 

arnside is his stalker

and the few times he has actually met him (rather than standing in the bushes watching him) was in court

 

Met him outside hotels

and once at Wembley where he met a few of us, and once at a recording of the Des O Conner show, i was on the front row, surrounded by wires and cameras and so when, during a break he came over to chat to the fans i was in prime position and rather dominated the conversations, much to the annoyance of the female fans

 

I know

I was at Oakwell before 1997!!

 

I to was a bit of a Leeds fan

in the late 60's, early 70's, (living here and supporting 4th div BFC was no joke) and Clarke was a great player for Leeds (Who put the ball in the Arsenal net etc), when he came to us and did so well it really was pleasing

 

nearly put "I am not a stalker, honest".LOL

 

RE: Met him outside hotels

Never entered my head you was a stalker,
then you reply with " I met him outside various hotels"
OUCH I think you just shot yourself in the foot.!

 

played sunday league with Ronnie Glavin a few times in the late 80's

played in dee daa land so most of the uneducated inbreds didn't really know of his greatness, leaving me free reign to talk BFC with him during the odd after the match pint or two. Totally tongue tied, how could I tell a bloke who I was playing snooker with that he was a god in my eyes. Spent most of the time talking gibbery bunkum. He soon bogied of when he realised how pants we were.

 

Always with a large group of fans

they call them the bus calls in the States,
weve got to know a few members of his band over the years, it just gives you a different look atht e man from the usual persona he adopts on stage, he really is quite different

 

Only ever seen him once live and I must say he is in the top 3 best live performers Ive watched.
In what way is he different to what you expect?

 

Almost shy off stage

not as loud and brash as he appears on stage, but i have seen him laughing and joking with the fans

 

I'm jealous

I'd love to meet him. My absolute hero as a nipper.

 

Brian Clough - Quality clough story

As a kid i lived at Oakwell....
One reserve game when i was about 8 against Notts Forest me and the groundmans (Roy Hatton) nephew - a pleasantly plump kid - was in the old tunnel decided that we wanted a better view point to see the match. So we went to the upper tier of the old stand (???) to watch. After about ten minutes we got board and ran along the back row to go down one of exits. Mr Clough was sat with Alan Hill and a few Notts Forest staff a number of rows below. When we got to the exit it was shut so we came back up and ran again along the back to the main exit only to be summoned by the legendary Clough "Oy you two come 'ere" as only Cloughy could.
"Sit 'ere"
So I sat next to him and the Nephew sat behind. After a 5 minute quiet spell old big head turned to us both and said.........

"Right you and your Fat friend can go now!!"

Its a shame you can't hear me do the accent cos i have told the story that much I have Cloughie down to a tee...........Clough legend - fact.......sorry not aloud to say fact now.......In his case sod it!

CLOUGH LEGEND FACT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(Y) (Y) (Y) (Y) (Y) (Y) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (raiseaglass) (respect) (respect) (respect)