peanuts Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 see today is the 40th anniversary of the great mans passing .my first latics hero as a kid a talent & entertainer that todays football so badly misses .what i would give to have someone of his ilk at boundary park now . 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolatic Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 14 minutes ago, peanuts said: see today is the 40th anniversary of the great mans passing .my first latics hero as a kid a talent & entertainer that todays football so badly misses .what i would give to have someone of his ilk at boundary park now . So sad losing his life at such a young age. What a talented player he was. It was worth the admission money just to watch him turn defenders inside out, stop, then come back and do it again. I think the last time I saw him play was when we thumped Huddersfield 6-0 and he tore them apart that day. And scored a screamer from the corner of the box. Great memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheshireblue Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 25 minutes ago, peanuts said: see today is the 40th anniversary of the great mans passing .my first latics hero as a kid a talent & entertainer that todays football so badly misses .what i would give to have someone of his ilk at boundary park now . It is actually 41 years today, died whilst watching a World Cup game in 1978. Very sad day, the best entertainer I have seen at BP along with Stitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobledgersheart Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Can only echo what others have said. An introverted shy character who came alive on the pitch. A showman and crowd pleaser of the highest order with immense talent, that no doubt would have been coached out of him nowadays. Sad to think that many of our supporters have not experienced the anticipation and excitement he generated when the ball was at his feet ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Handsy Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 The term Legend is used to easily these days but Alan Groves is a latics legend I feel sorry for those unfortunate not to have seen him play the guy had everything 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBigDog Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) 31 minutes ago, Handsy said: The term Legend is used to easily these days but Alan Groves is a latics legend I feel sorry for those unfortunate not to have seen him play the guy had everything He was an Entertainer. He died so young. We have had some great wingers in my time following Latics. Bebbington, McVitie, Groves, Holden, Adams. I wonder if I will remember Nepomuceno as fondly as I do the above? Edited June 15, 2019 by TheBigDog 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc1955 Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 He played 140 games for Latics....I can’t believe he only scored 12 goals in that time, I would have guessed at least double that! What a fantastic talent he was.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiecat Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 42 minutes ago, TheBigDog said: He was an Entertainer. He died so young. We have had some great wingers in my time following Latics. Bebbington, McVitie, Groves, Holden, Adams. I wonder if I will remember Nepomuceno as fondly as I do the above? It's not Nepo's fault that he isn't fit to lace the boots of any of the aforementioned. Just look at the current England squad and try to find anyone with the talent the older players had. Sterling is rated as the biggest talent in English football and he can't kick a ball straight half the time. Everything was wrong with what the some of the old guys did,half time fag, rat arsed night before the game etc but they could play! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disjointed Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 50 minutes ago, oafc1955 said: He played 140 games for Latics....I can’t believe he only scored 12 goals in that time, I would have guessed at least double that! What a fantastic talent he was.... It's just that they stuck in the mind. The goal at Blackburn when he picked up the ball on the wing just inside his own half, beat 5 players, (it may have been less but it felt that way) got to the edge of the 18 yard box and unleashed a screamer into the top corner. My 1st hero and a pleasure to talk to also. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogdenwoodwhittle Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Wonderful talent. A palpable buzz went round the ground when he had the ball. 1973 team with Alan and George McVitie on t'other wing was exciting to watch, created chances and scored goals. As a 15 yr old, he had been my favourite player and when he died , it was around the day of one of my O levels and I wore a black tie rather than usual blue tie to school that day as mark of respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al_bro Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 I think McVitie was nearly as good. He could somehow cross the ball whilst running at full speed. No idea how he managed to get his foot around the ball without falling over himself. I guess Groves had more skill in being able to beat a player, and was much more of a showman who could entertain the crowd. Oh for the entertainment we got from that team, we will never see that again the way the game has gone. We used to really look forward to the next game with enthusiasm, but these days I don't always remember which team we play next, and I'm not all that bothered either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhigginsoafc Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 Already been said, but he was the first player I worshipped..sad that he was taken so young Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inspectormorose Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 7 hours ago, disjointed said: It's just that they stuck in the mind. The goal at Blackburn when he picked up the ball on the wing just inside his own half, beat 5 players, (it may have been less but it felt that way) got to the edge of the 18 yard box and unleashed a screamer into the top corner. My 1st hero and a pleasure to talk to also. This.... As years have passed I've wondered if I dreamt that goal, I was only a kid and we didn't do many away games but that was one of them, glad I'm not going senile yet. Certainly my football hero at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc1955 Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) We’ve had three top top players whilst I have been supporting the Latics. Bobby Johnstone was a terrific player to watch so was Simon Stainrod but ‘Grovesie’ was something really special and arguably the most entertaining player to pull on a Blue shirt. Harry Redknapp has managed and played alongside some outstanding talent in his time and his opinions should be well respected. Here’s what he said about Alan Groves when at Bournemouth...... "We had an outside left called Alan Groves. He was the strongest, quickest, most skilful player I've ever seen. He was something else, this fella, it was frightening how much talent he had. Edited June 15, 2019 by oafc1955 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted June 15, 2019 Share Posted June 15, 2019 (edited) The story goes but for an injury he was on the verge of moving to Manchester United, who signed Gordon Hill instead. Also close to a full England cap, even though there were some excellent wingers about in the top flight at the time. Edited June 15, 2019 by BP1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBosch Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 Are we unusual in so many greats having been wingers? Or the way we like/appreciate wingers? Tommy Wright was my first ever "favourite player", then we had Holden, Adams, Eyres, not in the same league but Chris Taylor was good and a big fans favourite, even now Nepo is probably our best player and one of the most popular.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythemostimportantkick Posted June 16, 2019 Share Posted June 16, 2019 18 minutes ago, HarryBosch said: Are we unusual in so many greats having been wingers? Or the way we like/appreciate wingers? Tommy Wright was my first ever "favourite player", then we had Holden, Adams, Eyres, not in the same league but Chris Taylor was good and a big fans favourite, even now Nepo is probably our best player and one of the most popular.... We love a winger as much as OWTB loves a whinger ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiseowl Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Alan Groves - simply superb. It's a tough one to call but probably THE best player I have witnessed in a Latics shirt (Bobby Johnstone was before my time). Simon Stainrod ran him a close second for entertainment and individual skill but Grovesy's dribbling was just mesmerising. Very fond memories of a fantastic player. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyblue Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 I am lucky enough to have seen Johnstone, Groves and Stainrod in the pre Joe Royle era. Each so talented but as has been said earlier when Grovesy got the ball there was an extra buzz in the crowd. One of the best games I saw him play was at a league cup match (I think it was) at Hull when Billy Bremner managed them. I think he might have been playing to get away as it was rumoured there was a falling out. Anyway although we lost, he was virtually unplayable. Looking back, for me that 73/74 promotion season is up there with 89/90. Forward line McVitie, Garwood Lochead and Groves. Imagine that now. Its such a shame he died so young fantastic player, humble bloke. (Apologies if memory not totally reliable) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazerx Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 My favourite ever player. I sometimes wonder what he would have been worth in today's game, where players (for me) are over protected and roll around in fake agony at the slightest touch. He would have been unplayable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc1955 Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 It’s a pity there’s no video footage available to show younger Latics fans just how good he really was..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythemostimportantkick Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) 3 minutes ago, oafc1955 said: It’s a pity there’s no video footage available to show younger Latics fans just how good he really was..... Well if you selfish old gits would have taken your smartphones along.... Edited June 18, 2019 by simplythemostimportantkick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc1955 Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 2 hours ago, simplythemostimportantkick said: Well if you selfish old gits would have taken your smartphones along.... We had mobile phones in the seventies but couldn’t carry the fucking batteries 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simplythemostimportantkick Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) 1 minute ago, oafc1955 said: We had mobile phones in the seventies but couldn’t carry the fucking batteries Quality You would have got an upvote but I’ve wasted em on a couple of sarcastic thank yous Edited June 18, 2019 by simplythemostimportantkick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristolatic Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 2 hours ago, OldHallam said: His interaction with the paddocks was something else. Remember the Huddersfield game 6-0 well he had the full back in his pocket. Came over to wall in front of stand under clock and was asking a youngster which way he should go past him next. Did so with a grin. When you tell people he once ran with ball, sat on ball before beating a player people don't believe you. Fabulous to watch and created for others. Along with Stainrod pure entertainers. I felt so sorry for Huddersfield's full back that day. Grovesy would beat him and then stop, wait for said full back to come back at him and then beat him again. Pure theatre, pure magic. The poor sod must have been praying for the final whistle from about 10 minutes in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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