Since my unfortunate meeting with him I've watched him to see if I was wrong. But whenever the cameras go on him, at Old Trafford, he looks just like that day ... ... miserable, sour and unsociable.
I went to a tea party in Suffolk a long time ago, and I met Lucien Freud, spoke to the artist for duration of the afternoon, thought he was quite intense -TBH I didn't know who he was at that time. All I remember was being intrinsically taken to task by a conceptual soul who was a deep thinker.
Keith Chegwin Recognised him in a local pub, and ended up having a chat at the bar, where he bought me a pint. Really nice bloke.
Met Tommy Cooper after he performed at the Fiesta Club in Norton He was staying at the Swallow Hotel in Stockton and came in around 4am pissed, I was having a cup of tea with the night porter and when he saw us he went straight into his act routine for twenty minutes the poor woman with him couldn't get him off to bed. A complete gent but I reckon he wouldn't remember anything of it the next morning.
You can't leave it at that. We need more details - what was it about? How did it evolve into an actual fight? Who won? Who was hospitalised? etc.
Bumped into Samuel L Jackson just on a street in Liverpool many moons ago. Didn't really have a conversation, he just kind of smiled and seemed nice enough. Also Henry Winkler (the fonz for those young enough to not know). I came out of work and he was just stood on the steps of the office, it was a touch surreal. I resisted the temptation to put my thumbs up and go "hey" but did need to wait for someone so said hello and had a quick "how are you enjoying the town" conversation. He was a genuinely nice guy and it turns out (i was later informed) whenever he's in Liverpool doing shows he runs classes at LIPA - Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts - and then just takes the class out for a meal at the restaurant by where I worked (no idea if he paid for the class but either way it's a nice gesture and he's probably a bit bored/lonely in the different places he goes). There have been other minor ones (handing Peter Beardsley a snooker cue in Fenwicks) but the only other notable one i can think of was when the Flaming Lips sang me happy birthday for my 21st. I'm born on halloween and they gave a shout out asking so got the arena to sing me happy birthday. My mates obvious shouted my name up for them and pushed me to the stage as that's the sort of thing 21 year old "mates" do.
Mick Hartford at last years play off final don't forget reputation has the hardest man in football I'd had a few thought I'd be brave & said mick you were ****e with us People around him drifted back about a foot probably thought he was gonna chin me He answered I kna I was son lol Brilliant response In my local CIU club before he passed away I got to kna Wilf mannion really well Go for his pint & bets for him One day sat having a chat one of the lads shout to him ow wilf lad yer know your speaking to a mackem Wilf replied back he's more a gentleman than you'll ever be soon shut the smoggy up Kissed Frank Bruno at Highbury probably started his mental illness Eric Bristow in my local pub true gent that day
ps. I've got some sympathy for these people to be honest. As a teacher (wait for it there is a comparison coming) when I go in on a Monday morning my form will often want to interrupt my preparation for the day and/or delay me from taking the register by telling me about their weekend. Now I'm a nice guy and i like working with kids so I want to hear their stories and love that they are so enthusiastic about telling me. However, after the first few people and when time starts pressing I do have to start to say "can you tell me later" or "maybe not now" just due to other commitments. It's the same if I'm out with my family and we bump into pupils, one or two and it's fine, but if we're somewhere we bump into different groups it swiftly gets to the "I'm just trying to have a day out with my family here" point. Now the pupils know me well enough to respect that so it's ok but I can only imagine what it must be like if pretty much EVERYONE you meet wants a piece of you and judge you entirely by this one encounter.
Me and my brother met Brian Johnson in the days before he joined AC/DC. Me and the brother we having a game of snooker in Newcastle and Johnson asked if he could play the winner. I really had no idea who he was until my brother told me it was the lead singer from Geordie. He was a lovely guy and from a brief chat at the Tim Healy Golf day in Ramside many years later...he still was down to earth ...proper nice guy
On about golf I was a caddy for my marra who ran my local nee wonder I'm an alcoholic now with all that free booze I used to get Any way at Wilton golf club and we got to kna one of the main shareholders at the smoggys He was part of the ICI consortium any way at the start of the round he telt us he might have to leave early Cause Bryan Robson was due to sign for the mutants as player manager probably my biggest exclusive & nee bloody internet well not on my part that day Me & my marra just looked at one another in shock About the 14th hole his phone gans off so off he trots to get changed This great big posh car soon pulls into the car park lo & behold out steps Bryan Robson I'm sat finishing a can of cider & all my marras fawning owa Robson I heard him say isn't that lad part if your group they said yes He asked why I wasn't joining them My marra said he's a staunch mackem hates the smoggys I was soon persuaded to join them as the drinks started to flow
I lived in a large house share in Acton, West London and we were having a house party and I guess somebody had invited...as I said they were not that well know. That little prick Mercury was being more than objectionable, using various bedrooms and bathrooms for whatever he wanted. A ruck started and May got involved as well and we eventually spilled out into the garden and then we threw them out. My mate who had to get to north London on his motorbike, came off ( it was winter time and the road was icy) and hurt his leg (not seriously) so he has a double to remember that night
Talking of Bryan Robson, saw him absolutely paralytic down Chester le Street one Sunday night. He had been allegedly shagging some tart off Sky tv at the time and his wife had kicked him out. His fatha was physically carrying him to the taxi rank at the end of the night.
I did play golf a few years ago with Bryan 'Pop' Robson, good bloke lives near Hexam, although we played at Foxton,
Bobby Kerr rented a house opposite us when I lived in Stockton. he was there a couple of years whilst he was running a pub in Hartlepool iirc. he was never a problem, had left his missus and had a new lady in tow and she was really nice and down to earth. They were happy to share a drink if there was a party on the go. this was early 80s iirc.
