Brian Little

[rjw63]

Strange, he already did a book called "Return Of The Little Villan". I bought it at the club shop and got Brian and Allan Evans to sign it.

[DaveAV1]

Brian Little walks on water, what a phenomenal player, so many incredible memories. Then he came back as manager and bought us more joy.  An absolute gentleman and top bloke. 
 

I remember when we were trying to get Dean Saunders from Liverpool and Brian wrote an open letter to one of the papers. He said something like, “Aston Villa are the best and friendliest club in the country, I’d advise Dean to go there. When I retire, I intend to spend the rest of my days watching The Villa.”

That’s my Christmas present sorted, thank you Brian. 

[DaveAV1]

I’m possibility now the only man in the Highlands outside his workshop singing, “Brian Little walks on water!!” The neighbours will think I’ve been on the sauce a bit early! 

[Zatman]

43 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

Only Steve Mclaren and Harry Redknapp have been the only english managers since to win a major trophy?

I think so in England, very little credit for his managerial career 

One of the Under the Cosh interviews had somebody who played under him at Tranmere and said he was a great guy who people respected but didn't have a mean streak

[The Fun Factory]

1 minute ago, Zatman said:

I think so in England, very little credit for his managerial career 

One of the Under the Cosh interviews had somebody who played under him at Tranmere and said he was a great guy who people respected but didn't have a mean streak

Never managed in the top flight after Villa which is frankly crazy as in his 2 full seasons at Villa we came 4th and 5th, won the league cup and got to the FA Cup semi final. 

Think how many gigs that Bruce, Pardew,  Fat Sam, Pullis etc got on the premier league gravy train.

[VillaChris]

7 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

Never managed in the top flight after Villa which is frankly crazy as in his 2 full seasons at Villa we came 4th and 5th, won the league cup and got to the FA Cup semi final. 

Think how many gigs that Bruce, Pardew,  Fat Sam, Pullis etc got on the premier league gravy train.

Was a bit strange but think he had personal issues off the pitch at the time and he dropped down the levels to Stoke and West Brom and didn't do great at either to put it mildly so that basically ended him going back up to premier league level and then just went into non league to help out at some clubs.

I got his last book which came out a few years back which was a good read and covered his Villa spell as manager in great detail (e.g talking about likes of Collymore and Curcic going down to London to get his nose done which took him out for 6 weeks! Fernando Nelson also apparently rang him up at 2am one winter night asking for someone to come round as he couldn't sleep as his metal gates kept banging from the wind!)

So not sure really what more can be covered as it was all in great detail. Will have a flick through it at Waterstones when it comes out.

[one_ian_taylor]

1 hour ago, VillaChris said:

Was a bit strange but think he had personal issues off the pitch at the time and he dropped down the levels to Stoke and West Brom and didn't do great at either to put it mildly so that basically ended him going back up to premier league level and then just went into non league to help out at some clubs.

I got his last book which came out a few years back which was a good read and covered his Villa spell as manager in great detail (e.g talking about likes of Collymore and Curcic going down to London to get his nose done which took him out for 6 weeks! Fernando Nelson also apparently rang him up at 2am one winter night asking for someone to come round as he couldn't sleep as his metal gates kept banging from the wind!)

So not sure really what more can be covered as it was all in great detail. Will have a flick through it at Waterstones when it comes out.

Fernando should have got in  touch with Ross McCormack - he'd have been able to show him how to keep those gates properly shut.  

[sheepyvillian]

22 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

Aston Villa are the best and friendliest club in the country, I’d advise Dean to go there. When I retire, I intend to spend the rest of my days watching The Villa.”

I remember that quote, Dave. If ever their was a Mr Aston Villa, it's Brian.

Watching him under the Villa Park floodlights on a rain swept night, with those silky skills as he latched  on to an Andy Gray, knockdown and swept the ball elegantly into the bottom corner of the net. Oh! They were the days. 

[sidcow]

On 02/09/2021 at 11:59, DaveAV1 said:

I’m possibility now the only man in the Highlands outside his workshop singing, “Brian Little walks on water!!” The neighbours will think I’ve been on the sauce a bit early! 

The woman who sits next to me in The Holte lives in The Highlands.  Maybe you're the only bloke but not the only person! (I'll ask her next week if she was singing Brian Ltlle Walks on Water around now). 

She keeps showing me pictures of her view from home with snowy mountains all around her.  

Edited September 3, 2021 by sidcow

[The Fun Factory]

12 minutes ago, sidcow said:

The woman who sits next to me in The Holte lives in The Highlands.  Maybe you're the only bloke but not the only person! (I'll ask her next week if she was singing Brian Ltlle Walks on Water around now). 

She keeps showing me pictures of her view from home with snowy mountains all around her.  

Isn't that the view at Stoke?

[sidcow]

1 minute ago, The Fun Factory said:

Isn't that the view at Stoke?

Nah, wasn't raining. 

[John]

This will be the third book by Brian that I have in my collection. The first two were excellent reads and I'm sure this one will be too, with topics not covered or not covered in the same way in it. Brian is my favourite ever Villa player. I was at every game that he played at Villa Park from debut to testimonial and at a number of his games at neutral/away games, including the LCSF & F replays when his hat-trick at Highbury and his brace at Old Trafford won us the cup. I told him when he signed his last book for me, that he's probably heard it a lot, but he's my favourite ever Villa player. His reply, " I don't hear it very often these days" with a smile and a hand shake. 

    

[sheepyvillian]

1 hour ago, John said:

This will be the third book by Brian that I have in my collection. The first two were excellent reads and I'm sure this one will be too, with topics not covered or not covered in the same way in it. Brian is my favourite ever Villa player. I was at every game that he played at Villa Park from debut to testimonial and at a number of his games at neutral/away games, including the LCSF & F replays when his hat-trick at Highbury and his brace at Old Trafford won us the cup. I told him when he signed his last book for me, that he's probably heard it a lot, but he's my favourite ever Villa player. His reply, " I don't hear it very often these days" with a smile and a hand shake. 

    

That photo in the middle. So iconic, and that kit. I can almost smell hot - dogs. 

[greyvillan]

Great guy, still my favourite Villa player, yes I’m that old.   
Book ordered

[leemond2008]

On 02/09/2021 at 12:18, VillaChris said:

Was a bit strange but think he had personal issues off the pitch at the time and he dropped down the levels to Stoke and West Brom and didn't do great at either to put it mildly so that basically ended him going back up to premier league level and then just went into non league to help out at some clubs.

I got his last book which came out a few years back which was a good read and covered his Villa spell as manager in great detail (e.g talking about likes of Collymore and Curcic going down to London to get his nose done which took him out for 6 weeks! Fernando Nelson also apparently rang him up at 2am one winter night asking for someone to come round as he couldn't sleep as his metal gates kept banging from the wind!)

So not sure really what more can be covered as it was all in great detail. Will have a flick through it at Waterstones when it comes out.

Got any idea what that one was called? when Little took over as manager was the first season that I got heavily into football so I'd love to read that, I've just had a look on Amazon but can't find anything other than one book called A Little is Enough by Simon Goodyear

[Vive_La_Villa]

To young to remember him as a player but the time he managed us was when I started going to games and I’ll never forget those 3 seasons and the day out Wembley.  Still my favourite time as a villa fan.
 

Haven’t read a book though.

[leemond2008]

7 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

To young to remember him as a player but the time he managed us was when I started going to games and I’ll never forget those 3 seasons and the day out Wembley.  Still my favourite time as a villa fan.
 

Haven’t read a book though.

first game I ever went to was Villa v Man Utd, I was 11 years old, opening game 3-1 to the villa, sitting in the lower Holte,  got back from the match jumped in the car and drove to Weymouth.

[VillaChris]

1 hour ago, leemond2008 said:

Got any idea what that one was called? when Little took over as manager was the first season that I got heavily into football so I'd love to read that, I've just had a look on Amazon but can't find anything other than one book called A Little is Enough by Simon Goodyear

Yeah that's the one! Only came out a few years ago and covers him quitting Leicester to join us and his seasons managing in great detail so not sure what more he has to say really in new book.

[Xela]

48 minutes ago, leemond2008 said:

first game I ever went to was Villa v Man Utd, I was 11 years old, opening game 3-1 to the villa, sitting in the lower Holte,  got back from the match jumped in the car and drove to Weymouth.

Bit young to be driving mate?

[leemond2008]

27 minutes ago, Xela said:

Bit young to be driving mate?

you know what, I was going to alter that to specifically say that my old man did the driving because I knew someone was going to pull me up on it, I thought I'd let it slide but alas, VT will never let you down