Ronnie Glavin

I will contribute to King Ronnie threads til the day I die.

As others have said, the buzz in the ground, every week, when we were getting 13k in the 3rd tier when the rest of the football world was in the doldrums (we were getting bigger crowds than some 1st division games) was amplified when Ronnie got the ball. Some on here have compared him to Maradona, but if you are too young to remember Ronnie, then maybe you don't remember Diego either? So think a modern day Messi. Think of the anticipation in the Nou Camp every game, when the crowd realises that when he gets the ball, something will happen. That's what it was like and we will never see the likes of that again. A full ground, excited as kids, when football was affordable and open to the masses. With our very own demi-God to top it off. I'd spend my whole week at school / work daydreaming about what was going to happen on a Saturday.

I posted this link the other day; it is not the 'best' example but it sums up the player he was. As others have said, there are good examples on Youtube (his goal against Rotherham in a 4-2 away win - how he arrived on the scene to stick that away still baffles me. Arrived in a time capsule). Fast Forward on to 8:04, and watch him win the header in his own box.

 

He had the dribbling skills of an outstanding winger (he played winger for Partick Thistle before joining Celtic); he had the passing game of a play-making midfielder (especially short pass-and-move game); he had international class technical skills with the ball (he looked an international and that was enhanced in playing at second tier level); he had the finishing skills of an out-and-out striker (a goal every other game from midfield, but scored a hat trick when played once as a striker against Newport County); he had 'gears' and could turn it on when we needed it, converting losses into draws and draws into wins with timely goals; he had an mazing turn of pace (I remember the first goal I saw him score away at Wimbledon, picking up the ball wide on the left wing and, in a flash, he was into the opposition penalty area and slotting the ball past the keeper - looked like a shooting star going across the sky). That will do for now, but it shows you why he was such an exciting player. Match highlights from the time generally don't do him full justice.

 

The books will be updated soon enough. There was controversy over one both he and Ian Walsh got a touch on in 1985 against Fulham. Ronnie was adamant he got the final touch. Turvey Tyke spoke with Winnie Campbell who backed up Ronnie (as he was in the box at the time) and Ronnie's goal tally now stands at 93. The mural in the Ponty was updated accordingly too.

 

He was our midfield maestro, goal scoring hero. Full of energy, passion and spirit. Think Redfearn, then double it.

Under the radar, not a chance. Running with the ball, with pace, I'm going to take every body on and score - everytime he got the ball. He could pick a decent pass out too!

Love this bloke to bits - his goal at Hillsboro to win the game 1-0 in 1983 when he took every one one and slotted it in the corner will live long in the memory I can tell you!

 

Well I’ll take that, mate - one more for the great man. Can you find another seven - deserves to make a century.

Don’t sit in the Ponty so haven’t seen Muriel.

 

Probably my top memory of watching reds for the last 50 odd years

 

Be good if we could find another 7. Turvey and I are constantly updating the records, new and old. I can't say too much right now but there's even a possibility that our all-time top scorer's tally could be changed soon.

 

Please tell me he is starting Friday night?

 

My God. For someone who saw Harry Tufnell play, that is high praise indeed.

 

Blooming cheek! I'm not quite that old. In fact, I'm just a nipper compared to many on here.

 

I didn't know that.
Can you find another seven? He deserved the 100. He'd have got there if he hadn't gone to Belenenses.

 

My best memory of Glav was at Bellend Rd 1983(?), Leeds had a corner and He won the ball on the by line between the edge of the 6-yard box and the edge of the penalty area. There wasn't an easy ball on so he proceeded to beat a couple of Leeds players before breaking free, He then played a 1-2 with David Johnson (Liverpool and England striker on loan at the time) on the halfway line, then ran on to round the keeper and slot home the winner. Fantastic goal, full of poise, power and blistering pace. Never seen the like of it since.

For one awful moment when I saw the title of this thread I thought the great one had passed away.....

 

There weren't much wrong with Bobby Horn....

 

The only disappointing thing about Ronnie was the overwhelming feeling of disbelief on the odd occasion that he missed decent chance.
The anticipation when he was bearing down on goal was such that you never thought he would!
tbf the exact opposite of now

 

Nope. I think I recall one of the team in an interview years later saying that's what they felt they were missing. With or without Horn we came so close that first season back in the 2nd Division. If we hadn't let that lead slip at Grimsgy on Good Friday we might just have made it.

 

Ronnie said the same when we interviewed him, so I'll go with 93 as well.

 

A very cherished memory, he certainly shut the Wendies up that day.

 

If the great man says it, it’s good enough for me.

Walshy may have got a bonus for his goal. He should send it to Ronnie without delay.

 

I'd agree with this. Younger fans would probably wonder what the fuss is about if they got their understanding of Glavin from YOU TUBE. It gets nowhere capturing his brilliance. Another story:

It's Joe Joyce's testimonial at Oakwell and the team of the early eighties turns out. Ronnie had been retired for some time but pulls on the No 4 shirt. I'm stood next to the (old) tunnel as he runs out with his former Colleagues. They, and Ronnie in particular, get a magnificent reception. At this, Nicky Law (then a current player) who is stood in the 'no mans land' between the fence and the tunnel wall, turns to someone and says 'who's the fat bloke'?

Now, I'm not a violent man. Honestly I'm not. But at that moment I wanted to clamber over that fence and punch him in his ignorant stupid face.

To be fair to Law, the King had 'put on a few pounds' but then don't we all.

The game starts and after 10 minutes it's clear that 'the Class of 81-82' might not be quite as good as they once were. Ronnie hasn't touched the ball. But then - he does. He picks it up on the edge of his own penalty area. And I hear something I've not heard for a few years - that weird extraordinary buzz from the crowd - the airs are up on the back of my neck and my eyes are filling up as he sets off (they are now typing this!). He beats one man then another and the crowd are roaring (just like in his song). Nicky Law redeems himself as becomes part of the crowd urging our hero on. Ronnie goes past a third man on the edge of the box and lets fly.............miles wide!!

Just for a second, you could hear a pin drop. "He's missed." We've rarely seen it before. You can see the disappointment in Ronnie's face as he turns to jog back up field. We, in the crowd, see his disappointment too; and as one, we rise to salute the majesty that is Ronnie Glavin for giving us, just for a moment, a reminder of how good it can feel to be a Red.

Sadly, the march of time spares no-one and so it proves in that game. No matter; it gave us a chance to say goodbye to a hero and as he came off the man clapping the loudest was Nicky Law.