DanTurner07 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I wonder if you fellow Latics could help me out. I'm researching a magazine article on Alan Groves for When Saturday Comes. Now Alan's time at BP was a smidge before my time, so all I know about him are the bare facts about his life and tragic early death. Can anyone who watched him add in any stories, facts, anecdotes, descriptions and the like? Also, as the article won't be restricted to his time with Latics, if anyone knows anything about his career with other clubs that would be very helpful. Cheers Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanuts Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 (edited) can remeberhim sitting on the ball and doing his laces during one game cant say when was my absolout god as a kid amazing player !oh and have you thougt of having a word with stewart who wrote team fromn atown of chimneys am sure he may ahve some tails to tell ? Edited January 24, 2008 by peanuts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Here ya go >>Alan Groves<< Plus another chance to plug the Grovesy T Let me know if you want one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatpaste Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Have pm'd you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoytonBlueLad Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I'm only 23 myself but Groves is my Dad's favourite ever Latics player. I dare not mention him in our house now as the next hour is taken up of tales of just how good he was. Similarly I have spoken with other Latics fans who were lucky enough to see him play and have struggled to get a word in for a long time! Seems that he really captured the imagination of lads and girls of Oldham while he was here. The beads, the afro, the tricks, not to mention the wife! So sad how his life was cut short. Probably achieved more in his short life than many of us will in a lifetime though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 ............Similarly I have spoken with other Latics fans who were lucky enough to see him play and have struggled to get a word in for a long time! We should meet up RBL so i can share my Grovesy memories , TRUE LEGEND ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Have pm'd you What size do you want ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 I remember in the 1970s my wife and I were having a snack in Littlewoods cafe in Oldham at about noon on the day of a Latics home match, and who should be sat across the table eating eggs and bacon but non other than the great Mr Groves himself. We chatted for while and I thought he was a really nice genuine guy. He went on to have a blinder that afternoon of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatpaste Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 What size do you want ? Huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoytonBlueLad Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 We should meet up RBL so i can share my Grovesy memories , TRUE LEGEND ! I feel like I know every twist and turn, drop of the shoulder and line he ever said to the paddocks already! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny punkster Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 can remember him sitting on the ball and doing his laces during one game ....... i remember the very same incident...my memory was he rounded the hapless defender,then skinned him,sat on the ball,pretended to tie his lace,got up and raced off.. i'm sure it was on match of the day/kick off(more likely)... he was a wiz mate... and a jack the lad...but i'm sure we all know that side of him eh! try contacting granada tv...they might(and this is a long shot-they do regular video tape dumpings of tv programs from years by)...just might ,have something on video.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheshireblue Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Bet Les Chapman could tell you a tale or two about him Lived near me and drove a white Triumph Stag convertable and had the 16 year old wife as well Scored one of the finest goals ever seen at BP against Portsmouth I think. Ran the length of the field and crashed it into the roof of the net at the Chaddy End. Always had a chat to the crowd in the Ford Stand Paddock before kick off. Unbelievable player, how on earth Sir Jimmy signed him for 10K is a complete mystery. People of a certain age could talk about this fella for hours on end......and frequently do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oa_exile Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Bet Les Chapman could tell you a tale or two about him Remember when Alan and Les owned the "Boutique" on Hollins Rd .............ah the 70's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magic Mikey Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Lets have it right the lease was in Alan name although Les was involved with the "Boutique" I should know because my dad rented him the shop. My dads relation did a deal with him over joining Blackpool (as he was a director at pool) in lieu of shop rent etc. In effect was tapped up....Dad never forgave his relative for that. Alan had the largest bed built in the flat my dad has ever seen. Polished wood recessed lighting etc unheard of in the 70's. (possibly a double King Size). Dad says Alan was a really quiet bloke to speak to but had a few dodgy car dealing mates. Drove a variety of Triumph Stags and had a Roller briefly. The Ford Paddock crowd could give you a lot on Groves conversations. Asking young lads on the wall which way he should go round the fullback next time he got it, remarks about the fullback to the crowd whilst backing into the fullback and telling the crowd this guys a W@n.... etc. the laces tying, sitting on ball, going back to beat a player again was special. Remember a game v Southport where he tore them apart. True latics legend again and again think it finished 6-0 on his day unplayable by anyone at the level. To be honest should have played at a higher level. Dad remembers all the young latics fans having bead necklaces like Alans. I remember the away game against Southport that season, Grovesy kicked the ball against the advertising boards but hit it a little high and smacked a kid in the face. I think it was Easter time and it felt like half of Oldham was in Southport that day. Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewrat Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 When he came at first he stayed with Les Chapman,s mum in Royton. I lived on the same street at the time. Nearly everyday after training he would go out jogging in the afternoon. I say jogging but it would be a sprint for most of us. He was the finest dribbler I have ever seen. The reason he did not play at an higher level was the lack of quality on his crosses. He would get 30 or 40 over in a match regularly but find a blue shirt perhaps once a match. He also made no secret that he was winding the full back up so referees rarely booked the full back. He even got sent of in one match for running at a full back with intent to kill. He stopped just in time and back-heeled the ball away from the stunned full back without contact but the ref had lost patience and he got the early bath. I think his best game was against Internationale. The South Americans tried 6 different full backs in a friendly none of which could get near enough even to foul him. Unfortunately although he seemed to spend 90 minutes crossing from the byline he failed to hit an Oldham player. I seem to remember their coach commenting that he was glad he couldn't cross or they would have got their worst ever beating. As it was their centre forward scored from near the half way line and they won 1-0. It was a real surprise when he died as he had never smoked or drank and spent so much time keeping fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiLatic Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Lets have it right the lease was in Alan name although Les was involved with the "Boutique" I should know because my dad rented him the shop. My dads relation did a deal with him over joining Blackpool (as he was a director at pool) in lieu of shop rent etc. In effect was tapped up....Dad never forgave his relative for that. Alan had the largest bed built in the flat my dad has ever seen. Polished wood recessed lighting etc unheard of in the 70's. (possibly a double King Size). Dad says Alan was a really quiet bloke to speak to but had a few dodgy car dealing mates. Drove a variety of Triumph Stags and had a Roller briefly. The Ford Paddock crowd could give you a lot on Groves conversations. Asking young lads on the wall which way he should go round the fullback next time he got it, remarks about the fullback to the crowd whilst backing into the fullback and telling the crowd this guys a W@n.... etc. the laces tying, sitting on ball, going back to beat a player again was special. Remember a game v Southport where he tore them apart. True latics legend again and again think it finished 6-0 on his day unplayable by anyone at the level. To be honest should have played at a higher level. Dad remembers all the young latics fans having bead necklaces like Alans. Spot on. I used to sit on the wall right on the half way line in the Broadway Paddock during this time. Alan Groves was an absolute legend. He was/is my mum's favourite ever Latics player. I remember one match when he refused to tackle or even chase balls anywhere other than on the touchline. Someone in the crowd shouted, "Get stuck in Groves". He replied that the boss (Frizz) had told him to stay out on the touchline and that's what he was doing!! A genius. A unique talent and someone that I am proud to say I saw play for Oldham Athletic. Can anyone else remember the Chaddy End chanting "Groves is a Golliwog" when he returned to BP as a Blackpool player? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiLatic Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 And, did anyone else own a "It's Hell With Groves" window sticker? I bet they'd be worth a fortune on e-bay!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astottie Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 And, did anyone else own a "It's Hell With Groves" window sticker? I bet they'd be worth a fortune on e-bay!!! remember him taking a right wing corner with his left foot in the 6-0 thrashing of Hudders in '74 (scored 6 goals 3 times that season I think) The ball was headed out to where he'd moved to after taking it about 5-10 yards in from the goal line and 5 in from the touch line. He just volleyed it back in first time over everyone's heads right into the top far corner. Magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Can anyone find some old football footage of Groves and put it up on YouTube, if so it would certainly receive thousands of views ? I seem to remember Granada showing a wonderful sequence of his dribbling skills against Liverpool at Anfield in the F.A. Cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
attila Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 I´m not sure if this one has been mentioned but as a lad I was told Jimmy Frizzel would have the wings hosed with water because "Grovesy likes it nice and wet". He was my first footballing hero. Do you think Smalley could grow his hair into a Grovesy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boboafc Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 (edited) Remember when Alan and Les owned the "Boutique" on Hollins Rd .............ah the 70's thats were i bought my first latics scarf and i still got it today and have to add it was grovesy who got me into watching latics ,he lived around the corner from my cousin un garden suburbs and his wife debbie ,was best friend with my cousin ,so one day i went over to visit and i met grovesy (even now i can remember him sitting on the sofa taking about latics to me ) the next day i went to his shop and bought my first latics scarf tangerine with oldham athletic written in blue on it ,plus a few other things ,grovesy said i should go and watch him play so i went down to bp and never looked back best thing i have ever done is watching latics ,and i remember the day i heard he had died ,i was at the dentist and i heard the radio saying that grovesy had died and in the m.e.n that night front page news that the legend had died ................. rest in peace grovesy Edited January 25, 2008 by boboafc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I had forgotten the ‘Its hell with Groves‘ sticker - brilliant. Not sure whether that came first or the name of his boutique in Hollins Road which was called ‘Enfer With Alan Groves’ - using the French word for hell was considered a bit odd around Hollins way where I lived. His amazing ability to go round a fullback has been well described but do not forget another trick at which he excelled - winning crucial free kicks. He was a genius at drawing the defender into a tackle, pushing the ball past him at the last minute and then going over the outstretched leg. Never failed to get a free kick or even a penalty. I remember him doing it twice in a vital night match against York the season we won the old Third Division. York were fellow promotion contenders, went ahead early and spent all night time-wasting. Grovesy’s brilliant falling over act won us a free kick which produced a goal and then a penalty, both converted by the unfailing left boot of Maurice Whittle. 2-1 win, thanks to the great man. If it is any help for Dan Turner’s article, I still have a copy of the programme the Latics produced for a benefit match staged after Grovesy died to help out his teenage widow Debbie. I would be happy to lend it or send photocopies if you would like to see it, Dan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 I remember watching an away match at Bournemouth and they brought on a winger who tore Latics to shreds. I thought then if only we had a player like that at BP. It was the great Alan Groves, and of course my wish eventually came true. (I can't remember the other 2 wishes lol). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lags Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 (edited) Quite simply Alan Groves was an entertainer the likes of which I doubt this game let alone the club will ever see again. He was that special folks who never had the good fortune to see the man. That was in the day when it was considered part of football to kick lumps outta each other! The day he left Latics for Blackpool felt to me like the day he actually died, I was gutted. Legend is used to much these days however, as long as there are sons/daughters living who's Dad told them about Alan Groves, his legend will live on in Latics folklore. He was a genius, entertainer, footballer, appearance and as this thread proves he was a good man despite his off beat love life. However it transpired he did love the girl afterall. Edited January 26, 2008 by Lags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP1960 Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Video footage is badly needed so everyone can enjoy the legends mesmerising skills forever. Some must be out there somewhere. Has anyone tried Granada TV or the North West film archives ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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