happyterryb Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I watched the One Life programme on BBC TV last night. It was about the Munich Disastor in 1958. The United Goalkeeper Harry Gregg revisited the airport and spoke to people who had been present at the time. It also showed what a truelly amazing Man he is. He was a hero of immeasurable proportions who does not glory in the repute he gained from his actions. My point is this really. Are there any people left in the game of Football who can stand side by side with People like Gregg. In these days of highly paid Prima Donna's it would be nice if anyone could think of an ex or current player who does or did???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny punkster Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 physical actions,i can't think of anyone,but i've always respected niall quinn for donating ALL his testimonial match takings to charity. don't remember any of the hard-done-by manure players ever doing that. giggs? robson? keane? etc etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ackey Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I watched the One Life programme on BBC TV last night. It was about the Munich Disastor in 1958. The United Goalkeeper Harry Gregg revisited the airport and spoke to people who had been present at the time. It also showed what a truelly amazing Man he is. He was a hero of immeasurable proportions who does not glory in the repute he gained from his actions. My point is this really. Are there any people left in the game of Football who can stand side by side with People like Gregg. In these days of highly paid Prima Donna's it would be nice if anyone could think of an ex or current player who does or did???? I've never really looked in to Munich. Before my time by a long shot. But I watched it last night and fully admit to welling up at one point. A hero beyond words, if for nothing else but his refusal to see himself as one! Todays players could never learn from him though... he's in a different league to them. A fantastic human being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoytonBlueLad Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 After all the links in the other thread with randomness, Harry Gregg is a mates great uncle through some family connection or another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyterryb Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 physical actions,i can't think of anyone,but i've always respected niall quinn for donating ALL his testimonial match takings to charity. don't remember any of the hard-done-by manure players ever doing that. giggs? robson? keane? etc etc.... Was the Charity "Sunderland FC". They could have done with the money. In truth that was a magnificent gesture on Quinn's part. Not in the same league as Gregg though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspiral_Carpet Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I think the nearest person that we have currently got to a humble man is Les Pogliacomi. From what I have seen and read, he is very level-headed with feet firmly on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostofcecere Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 This was still a time when football was very much the working man's game, and the players were still in touch with the fans and public at large. I'm guessing that most footballers were humble down to earth guy's like Harry Gregg (although what he did that day was truly heroic), indeed if you look at the thread about our very own Fred Ogden you will see further evidence of this. Niall Quinn is a good example of a current player like this and I also think Jimmy Bullard comes across as a grounded guy when he's on TV. I think a lot of players who have graduated from non-league have some sense of the real world in general. There was also a thread on hear a few weeks ago about Tony Carrs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 It’s impossible to compare what he did with people who haven’t found themselves in a similar situation, it’s not like you can slag players off for not pulling bodies out of a wreckage when they’ve not been at one. I honestly think that a lot of players do do a lot of good things, although a lot don’t. Johnny might be surprised to know that Giggs is said to be just about the most charity friendly player there is. I was very touched a few years ago when I read that Chris Powell had made a suprise visit to a dying boy on Christmas Day and given him his first England shirt, probably whilst most of us were gurning over our breakfast. I don’t think that the Bartons of this world should be allowed to tarnish all of the players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyterryb Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 It’s impossible to compare what he did with people who haven’t found themselves in a similar situation, it’s not like you can slag players off for not pulling bodies out of a wreckage when they’ve not been at one. I honestly think that a lot of players do do a lot of good things, although a lot don’t. Johnny might be surprised to know that Giggs is said to be just about the most charity friendly player there is. I was very touched a few years ago when I read that Chris Powell had made a suprise visit to a dying boy on Christmas Day and given him his first England shirt, probably whilst most of us were gurning over our breakfast. I don’t think that the Bartons of this world should be allowed to tarnish all of the players. Agree to a point.. However since the TV money poured into the Premiership it seems that the Players find themselves in the middle of a money making enterprise. My point about Gregg was his humility amongst all the madness of that day and since. He seemed genuinely surprised at the attitudes of the people he had saved..... He also turned out in the cup game some 17 days after the crash. Some of us would still be having counselling..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoytonBlueLad Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I don’t think that the Bartons of this world should be allowed to tarnish all of the players. Totally agree and that is a big problem. Many players don't want charity work being publicised. They don't need to be seen to be doing it. It isn't about the recognition, they're in a position to help and many do so. Scholes does a lot for schools in the Oldham area yet it's only once every so often his face pops up in the Chron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny punkster Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Johnny might be surprised to know that Giggs is said to be just about the most charity friendly player there is. "giggs?" hence the question mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny punkster Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 . I think a lot of players who have graduated from non-league have some sense of the real world in general. what...like vinnie jones and mark ward?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 "giggs?" hence the question mark. Fair enough, but as has been said, they don't all make a big show of it - the same thing that is impressive about Gregg's attitude to what he did, although of course it's on another level altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporal_Jones Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 This was still a time when football was very much the working man's game, and the players were still in touch with the fans and public at large. I'm guessing that most footballers were humble down to earth guy's like Harry Gregg (although what he did that day was truly heroic), indeed if you look at the thread about our very own Fred Ogden you will see further evidence of this. Niall Quinn is a good example of a current player like this and I also think Jimmy Bullard comes across as a grounded guy when he's on TV. I think a lot of players who have graduated from non-league have some sense of the real world in general. There was also a thread on hear a few weeks ago about Tony Carrs too. We've had a number of down-to-earth and approachable players at Latics in recent times. Andy Ritchie, Earl Barrett, Tony Carrs and David Eyres all spring to mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny punkster Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 ... that is impressive about Gregg's attitude to what he did, although of course it's on another level altogether. true,but he was in a different generation of our times. now its all me,me,me. wonder how much harry had to spend each week then? money then wasn't as much an issue-you played football,or you went down the pit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lookers87 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Was the Charity "Sunderland FC". They could have done with the money. In truth that was a magnificent gesture on Quinn's part. Not in the same league as Gregg though Not quite in the same league. I do know from Quinns advisers at the time that the decision was all his - in fact he didn't speak to any of his advisers at the time, just made the announcement. To which they were tearing their hair out - not because of the decision which they fully respected - but that if he had spoken to them before he made the announcement they would've pointed out that he could ensure the government/taxman got hardly any of it through some accountancy route, rather than the huge chunk they took as it was a straight donation. (something like that anyway). Just goes to show how much the decision came from Niall's good heart rather than any kind of calculated PR stunt that has happened with many since. The magnificence of Gregg and the humility he shows puts all that in the shade though. Noone knows how they would react in the same circumstances of a crash, but everyone could learn something from the humility he shows having been a proper hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudemedic Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 Niall Quinn gave all his money (from his testimonial) to the Paediatric unit at Sunderland Royal Hospital and they built a very nice, modern paediatric outpatient department from it and duly named it after him. As for Bryan Robson I've got in on good authority that he practically brought the MRI scanner at Booth Hall on his own which is no small amount. But both Quinn and Robson have made money from the original money they had as footballers (Quinn on the horses i think and I've heard Robson has quite a large share of Birthdays- the greeting card company). Plus you've got to remember that Robson wouldn't have earned anywhere like the money modern players make as wages were a lot less then. He'd probably be on about 100k/week if he was playing today but i'd reckon you could divide that by 10 or even 20 to get what he did make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boundaryblue80 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I thought what Russell Anderson was pretty special....ok, might only be £90,000 but it's the gesture that counts. A few more could do with thinking like this lad.... "So take a bow Russell Anderson. If you have not followed Aberdeen's rollercoaster ride of under-achievement over the past decade, you might not know Anderson was their captain until last week when, to the astonishment of everyone but those who know him, he donated his £90,000 fee from Sunderland to the Dons' academy." http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story...2115803,00.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happyterryb Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 Something weird is happening in the money jungle of professional football: players are growing a conscience. And Scottish footballers have the biggest, it seems. In the past year, Garry O'Connor (Hibs to Lokomotiv Moscow), Kris Boyd (Kilmarnock to Rangers) and Daryl Duffy (Falkirk to Hull City) have returned their signing-on fees. So take a bow Russell Anderson. If you have not followed Aberdeen's rollercoaster ride of under-achievement over the past decade, you might not know Anderson was their captain until last week when, to the astonishment of everyone but those who know him, he donated his £90,000 fee from Sunderland to the Dons' academy. Maybe he took a lead from Niall Quinn, who donated the £1,000,000 raised in his Sunderland benefit match in 2002 to charities in Dublin, Sunderland, India and Africa. When Gary Kelly and Tony Adams sent their fees back, it seemed we might have a trend on our hands. The trickle did not turn into a deluge but there have been encouraging moments. Particularly generous, says the agent Lee Anderson (no relation), are South American footballers playing in Europe. Many of them, including the religious Kaka (himself from a privileged background), send large chunks of their income home. Now Anderson has joined the party. His generosity was much appreciated by the club's director of football, Willie Miller, who described it as 'a magnificent gesture'. Fans on Aberdeen websites have responded with a mixture of awe and admiration. One described Anderson as 'an effing legend'. Another said: 'His gesture of giving his fee to the AFC Youth Academy should tell you what kind of man he is, and he deserves this shot at the big time. Here's hoping he'll be going into Europe with the Mackems!' So, they are not all bad. In recent seasons, David James, Andy Cole and others have done a lot of ambassadorial work in Africa. The England cricket team recently signed up for an Aids awareness campaign in West Indies. Lennox Lewis set up an academy in east London. And you would be surprised who Mike Tyson gives his money to. Thats what I'm on about. Thanks BB. I thought it such a worthy article I would reproduce it in all its glory. If our premiership players are worthy in this respect then their stature goes up in other ways. Does anyone know whether that "Give a days wages to a Nurse" idea ever came to owt??? I think it was last season.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Does anyone know whether that "Give a days wages to a Nurse" idea ever came to owt??? I think it was last season.. I actually found that really offensive. Nurses do, by definition, have a full time job, and not a badly paid one at that. Those training to become nurses are no worse off than students for any other course, and you will find countless graduates earning less than qualified nurses do. It was oh so easy to make the footballers look like heartless bar stewards by putting them on the spot in front of a camera, but there really are other things you could spend your money on if you were donating a days pay. That’s not in any way to deny the work they do, but I just don’t see them as a desparate charity case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leezyverpunk Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Although it pains me to big the scum up, their players (inc Giggs) regularly visited Pendlebury hospital when me sister in law had leukemia so fair play to em. Think this sort of thing happens regularly but only bad things like scandal are news - not good things like players visiting sick children, that doesnt sell papers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leezyverpunk Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Although it pains me to big the scum up, their players (inc Giggs) regularly visited Pendlebury hospital when me sister in law had leukemia so fair play to em. Think this sort of thing happens regularly but only bad things like scandal are news - not good things like players visiting sick children, that doesnt sell papers! POST ENDED Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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