Alan Groves

[OLDHAMADE]

On 6/15/2019 at 11:32 AM, 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    

So happy I was around to see him play, wonderful times that stay with you for the rest of your days.

[latics22]

I wonder if in 40 years will will tell these stories about Dan g and Conner brown?

[kowenicki]

On 6/19/2019 at 12:09 AM, latics22 said:

I wonder if in 40 years will will tell these stories about Dan g and Conner brown?

 

Who?

[johnny punkster]

On 6/18/2019 at 12:02 PM, 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. 

 

Thank you for confirming what my head has always thought.
I was hitting the stage that I was bullshitting myself that it happened!

[wiseowl]

4 hours ago, OldHallam said:

Defo happened on corner of 18 yard box to corner flag in front of Ford stand after a run from half way. Its one of those moments like Stainrod at Blackburn, Stainrod v Sheff Wed, Whiitle at York. Shaw v Southampton. 

 

I remember Stainrod at Wrexham doing one of the most mesmerising runs/dribbles you could witness. Turned several defenders inside out (two fell over trying to tackle him) and then stormed into the box. He pointed to where he was going to blast the ball into the net.............. and the keeper saved it. Had it gone in it would have gone down as possibly the best goal I`ve witnessed by a Latics player. Superb stuff to watch.

[latics22]

38 minutes ago, wiseowl said:

 

I remember Stainrod at Wrexham doing one of the most mesmerising runs/dribbles you could witness. Turned several defenders inside out (two fell over trying to tackle him) and then stormed into the box. He pointed to where he was going to blast the ball into the net.............. and the keeper saved it. Had it gone in it would have gone down as possibly the best goal I`ve witnessed by a Latics player. Superb stuff to watch.

Then it bounced out to johnstone who juggled it with his left foot, ran all the way back to the keeper then ran the length of the pitch taking on every player on the pitch. Then came back to the half way line? Whacked the cross bar, during that sprinted and did a diving heading and scored

[BP1960]

1 hour ago, latics22 said:

Then it bounced out to johnstone who juggled it with his left foot, ran all the way back to the keeper then ran the length of the pitch taking on every player on the pitch. Then came back to the half way line? Whacked the cross bar, during that sprinted and did a diving heading and scored

 

You were at that match too?

[unsworth blue]

Spent part of the afternoon reading through some old programmes kindly donated by DISJOINTED from this Forum (thanks Alan). Had programmes from Grovesey's debut v Aldershot (H) w2-0 - Grovesey scored with a hard low shot and also the one from Blackburn Rovers (A) W1-0 where Grovesey scored the winner. 

 

Interesting to read that Alan's career started when a scout from Chester spotted him and he was invited for trial (he was working on lorries at the time). Things didn't work out very well and he went back to the lorries but fortunately for the game, a scout from Shrewsbury spotted him and he signed for the Shrews - played a full season and was subsequently sold to Bournemouth for £40,000 - a princely sum in those days.

 

What a showman he was - fabulous winger, good on the air, great entertainer - privilege to have seen him. Remember him playing for Shrews at Oldham in 1972/3 - looked like Hair Bear with his Afro.... also recall him playing for Bournemouth at Oldham but his hair had calmed down by then lol.

 

I remembered the scores and other details from pretty much all the programmes donated yet can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning. Remembered all of our players and a fair few opposition players but can barely recall any of ours or others from last couple of seasons. Sign of the times/senility or both?           

[disjointed]

Glad you are reviving great old memories, they would have been stuck in my loft forever. Or if you hadn't wanted them been in the bottom of a bin. 

[OLDHAMADE]

2 hours ago, unsworth blue said:

Spent part of the afternoon reading through some old programmes kindly donated by DISJOINTED from this Forum (thanks Alan). Had programmes from Grovesey's debut v Aldershot (H) w2-0 - Grovesey scored with a hard low shot and also the one from Blackburn Rovers (A) W1-0 where Grovesey scored the winner. 

 

Interesting to read that Alan's career started when a scout from Chester spotted him and he was invited for trial (he was working on lorries at the time). Things didn't work out very well and he went back to the lorries but fortunately for the game, a scout from Shrewsbury spotted him and he signed for the Shrews - played a full season and was subsequently sold to Bournemouth for £40,000 - a princely sum in those days.

 

What a showman he was - fabulous winger, good on the air, great entertainer - privilege to have seen him. Remember him playing for Shrews at Oldham in 1972/3 - looked like Hair Bear with his Afro.... also recall him playing for Bournemouth at Oldham but his hair had calmed down by then lol.

 

I remembered the scores and other details from pretty much all the programmes donated yet can't remember what I had for breakfast this morning. Remembered all of our players and a fair few opposition players but can barely recall any of ours or others from last couple of seasons. Sign of the times/senility or both?           

Brilliant stuff! We could do with more of the same from memory lane

[lookersstandandy]

On 6/16/2019 at 8:59 PM, 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....

 

I was absolutely gutted when we sold Tommy Wright to Leicester. The fact that Royle had Holden lined up as his replacement for a net c£200k profit was astounding business.

[TangerineDream]

I loved Alan Groves - figuratively speaking off course! Everytime he got in the area we screamed "dive,dive" from the Chaddy End!  My all time favourite Latics player along with the King ... Jim Fryatt.

 

I'm a lapsed Latics fan from Stretford - although now living in Salford for many years - who followed the team from the mid 60's up to the late 70's and then occasionally afterwards with my last game at Boundary Park being the 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup some years ago. I've  been watching non-league football since the mid 80's and have followed Salford City home and away since 2007 so it's going to be very strange turning up at BP as an away fan. I cherish many wonderful memories of following the Latics particularly as all my schoolmates took the piss out of me but I had the last laugh when WE beat United 1-0 at home in the old 2nd Division and narrowly lost 2-3 at Old Trafford that same season. Our club secretary is a massive Latics fan who followed them home and away for many years and cannot find it in himself not to support you when Salford make the short trip to BP on December 29th! OAFC will always be my first love - and I still have my old scarf and pin badges as well as collecting handbooks/year books - but Salford City will be the team I'll be rooting for when we meet. In an ideal world we'll both be promoted come the end of next season!

 

Incidentally, If you have an away fan feature in your matchday programme I would be more than happy to contribute.

Edited July 8, 2019 by TangerineDream

[lookersstandandy]

[Ryan]

[TheBigDog]

11 hours ago, TangerineDream said:

 

I'm a lapsed Latics fan from Stretford .... and have followed Salford City home and away since 2007 

 

[wiseowl]

12 hours ago, TangerineDream said:

I loved Alan Groves - figuratively speaking off course! Everytime he got in the area we screamed "dive,dive" from the Chaddy End!  My all time favourite Latics player along with the King ... Jim Fryatt.

 

I'm a lapsed Latics fan from Stretford - although now living in Salford for many years - who followed the team from the mid 60's up to the late 70's and then occasionally afterwards with my last game at Boundary Park being the 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup some years ago. I've  been watching non-league football since the mid 80's and have followed Salford City home and away since 2007 so it's going to be very strange turning up at BP as an away fan. I cherish many wonderful memories of following the Latics particularly as all my schoolmates took the piss out of me but I had the last laugh when WE beat United 1-0 at home in the old 2nd Division and narrowly lost 2-3 at Old Trafford that same season. Our club secretary is a massive Latics fan who followed them home and away for many years and cannot find it in himself not to support you when Salford make the short trip to BP on December 29th! OAFC will always be my first love - and I still have my old scarf and pin badges as well as collecting handbooks/year books - but Salford City will be the team I'll be rooting for when we meet. In an ideal world we'll both be promoted come the end of next season!

 

Incidentally, If you have an away fan feature in your matchday programme I would be more than happy to contribute.

Thank you for the contribution TangerineDream. What about the fantastic David Shaw (from that era) though? Probably my all time favourite striker - and to this day I have never seen a player so quick from a standing start. The only bit of your post that I will never understand is how anyone can switch allegiances football team wise (particularly when you're only down the road).

[Worcester Owl]

Sorry, Tangerine Dream, but switching clubs is something you never, ever do. It’s beyond the pale.

Once a Latic, always a Latic. 

[Kusunga_Is_God]

16 hours ago, TangerineDream said:

I loved Alan Groves - figuratively speaking off course! Everytime he got in the area we screamed "dive,dive" from the Chaddy End!  My all time favourite Latics player along with the King ... Jim Fryatt.

 

I'm a lapsed Latics fan from Stretford - although now living in Salford for many years - who followed the team from the mid 60's up to the late 70's and then occasionally afterwards with my last game at Boundary Park being the 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup some years ago. I've  been watching non-league football since the mid 80's and have followed Salford City home and away since 2007 so it's going to be very strange turning up at BP as an away fan. I cherish many wonderful memories of following the Latics particularly as all my schoolmates took the piss out of me but I had the last laugh when WE beat United 1-0 at home in the old 2nd Division and narrowly lost 2-3 at Old Trafford that same season. Our club secretary is a massive Latics fan who followed them home and away for many years and cannot find it in himself not to support you when Salford make the short trip to BP on December 29th! OAFC will always be my first love - and I still have my old scarf and pin badges as well as collecting handbooks/year books - but Salford City will be the team I'll be rooting for when we meet. In an ideal world we'll both be promoted come the end of next season!

 

Incidentally, If you have an away fan feature in your matchday programme I would be more than happy to contribute.

Ban him.

[rudemedic]

16 hours ago, TangerineDream said:

I loved Alan Groves - figuratively speaking off course! Everytime he got in the area we screamed "dive,dive" from the Chaddy End!  My all time favourite Latics player along with the King ... Jim Fryatt.

 

I'm a lapsed Latics fan from Stretford - although now living in Salford for many years - who followed the team from the mid 60's up to the late 70's and then occasionally afterwards with my last game at Boundary Park being the 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup some years ago. I've  been watching non-league football since the mid 80's and have followed Salford City home and away since 2007 so it's going to be very strange turning up at BP as an away fan. I cherish many wonderful memories of following the Latics particularly as all my schoolmates took the piss out of me but I had the last laugh when WE beat United 1-0 at home in the old 2nd Division and narrowly lost 2-3 at Old Trafford that same season. Our club secretary is a massive Latics fan who followed them home and away for many years and cannot find it in himself not to support you when Salford make the short trip to BP on December 29th! OAFC will always be my first love - and I still have my old scarf and pin badges as well as collecting handbooks/year books - but Salford City will be the team I'll be rooting for when we meet. In an ideal world we'll both be promoted come the end of next season!

 

Incidentally, If you have an away fan feature in your matchday programme I would be more than happy to contribute.

Downvote

[mcfluff1985]

21 hours ago, TangerineDream said:

I loved Alan Groves - figuratively speaking off course! Everytime he got in the area we screamed "dive,dive" from the Chaddy End!  My all time favourite Latics player along with the King ... Jim Fryatt.

 

I'm a lapsed Latics fan from Stretford - although now living in Salford for many years - who followed the team from the mid 60's up to the late 70's and then occasionally afterwards with my last game at Boundary Park being the 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup some years ago. I've  been watching non-league football since the mid 80's and have followed Salford City home and away since 2007 so it's going to be very strange turning up at BP as an away fan. I cherish many wonderful memories of following the Latics particularly as all my schoolmates took the piss out of me but I had the last laugh when WE beat United 1-0 at home in the old 2nd Division and narrowly lost 2-3 at Old Trafford that same season. Our club secretary is a massive Latics fan who followed them home and away for many years and cannot find it in himself not to support you when Salford make the short trip to BP on December 29th! OAFC will always be my first love - and I still have my old scarf and pin badges as well as collecting handbooks/year books - but Salford City will be the team I'll be rooting for when we meet. In an ideal world we'll both be promoted come the end of next season!

 

Incidentally, If you have an away fan feature in your matchday programme I would be more than happy to contribute.

Well done, you just made the baby Jesus cry

[TangerineDream]

Blimey you'd think I was the anti-christ or similar! I stopped watching football and Latics in the late 70's as I kind of fell out of love with the game for a variety of reasons and only got back into serious watching again when I moved down to East London to marry a local girl in the mid 1980's where I duly watched the local club Leyton-Wingate in preference to Leyton Orient or Walthamstow Avenue and absolutely loved my 2 years of following them home and away before eventually moving back to Stretford. There was never ever any question of me ever watching Leyton Orient as you can only ever support one league team - irrespective of whether you still watch them or not - whereas non-league is a totally different thing all together. I moved back to Manchester and watched a variety of non league teams as well as catching the second half of the 'great escape' season with that stupendous 4-3 win  over Southampton being the icing on the cake. That season I took my my now departed dad and my son - who I had  ensured would never ever wear a Man United shirt like his mates but the Latics blue shirt  which he readily took to with suitable pride - together for the first time in the 6-2 win over Wimbledon which still brings a lump to my throat thinking about it. I became a season ticket holder with my son in the  first season after relegation from the top flight but again stopped watching football in 1997 - primarily due to bad health - although we did catch the occasional game which invariably proved to be stinker and definitely not worth the inflated admission prices that it cost me with the exception of the win over Liverpool in the FA Cup which was the last game we attended. It was only in 2007 that my interest in football was rekindled when I went down to watch my local side Salford City - playing in tangerine shirts, five promotions from the Football League and more often than not getting gates of less than 100 -and became immediately hooked given the friendliness of the set up so much so that I've only missed 6 games all told (home and away) since then. My saying that you can only have allegiance to one Football League club has obviously gone up in flames but whereas Latics will forever remain my first love Salford are the team I now passionately support having done so for the last 12 years! Good luck for the coming season.

[TangerineDream]

10 hours ago, wiseowl said:

Thank you for the contribution TangerineDream. What about the fantastic David Shaw (from that era) though? Probably my all time favourite striker - and to this day I have never seen a player so quick from a standing start. The only bit of your post that I will never understand is how anyone can switch allegiances football team wise (particularly when you're only down the road).

Close run thing for me as well between Jim Fryatt and David Shaw. What a class double act! As I've tried to explain in a later post I could never have switched from one Football League team to another but given my love for non-league football and the fact that in 2007 Salford were five promotions away from the Football league and never likely to attain Football League status until the arrival of Class of '92 some seven years later which completely changed the fortunes of the club. Believe you me I'm no lover of Manchester United but at least our owners have set out what they promised to do in some many aspects ie, four promotions in the last five seasons, professionalism, re-developed the ground, created a youth academy, a women's team, the '92 University, subsidised coach travel and the cheapest admission prices and season tickets in the Football League. What's to criticise? My only one gripe with them is having changed our colours from tangerine and black to red and white but I suppose one can't have everything!

 

Getting back to Alan Groves he was instrumental in me getting an Afro hairstyle back in the day and I'll always remember somebody standing behind me in the Chaddy End and calling me a white negro - or something similar - as they couldn't see the game stood behind me!

 

 

[BP1960]

10 hours ago, Worcester Owl said:

Sorry, Tangerine Dream, but switching clubs is something you never, ever do. It’s beyond the pale.

Once a Latic, always a Latic. 

 

I'd would have thought you supported  Worcester City too?

Incidentally, do you know why a club from such a well populated area is in the non league 9th tier?

[singe]

1 minute ago, BP1960 said:

 

I'd would have thought you supported  Worcester City too?

Incidentally, do you know why a club from such a well populated area is in the non league 9th tier?

We may soon be asked the same question.... Although we know the answer.

[Worcester Owl]

1 minute ago, BP1960 said:

 

I'd would have thought you supported  Worcester City too?

Incidentally, do you know why a club from such a well populated area is in the non league 9th tier?

Worcester City?! Certainly not. Must admit I don't know why they are not higher, but RU and cricket are very popular hereabouts, and there are lots of Villa, Wolves, Birmingham and WBA fans. Cheltenham haven't been a league club for that many years, and Gloucester City have always been well down the pyramid.

 

I see TangerineDream has mounted a passionate defence! But I still don't understand the idea of switching allegiance (I don't even get the idea of a "second team" a la Nick Hornby, but maybe that's just me, and I've been to see Cheltenham a few times, but only because they're on my doorstep relatively speaking - wouldn't dream of supporting them). I saw my first Latics match in 1965 (5-3 home win v QPR) and I was hooked. So much so, that although my United-supporting older brother (apologies) used to take me to Old Trafford in the late 60s, and even though they had Best, Law, Charlton, huge ground, fanatical atmosphere, it was too late. I couldn't go back on Oldham. Through thin and thin, nothing has changed!