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[Albion] 'Bloody Southerners'



Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Hi all,

Just a reminder that the launch bash for my new Albion book 'Bloody Southerners' is next Thursday, 18th October, at the excellent Caxton Arms in Brighton, kick off 6.30pm. Everyone welcome. Peter O'Sullivan, Andy Rollings, Ian 'Reggie' Goodwin, Gary Williams & other ex-players all confirmed. Come on down, grab yourself a book and get it signed by some of the guys who were there. It's gonna be a great night.

See you there,
Spencer
 

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Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Greetings all,

Have had several people contact me directly with questions about the book - which is marvellous. Thank you & I'm truly humbled. In answer to a few themes which seem to be emerging:

1) The publishers are Biteback, ISBN number 978-1-785-90436-3.
2) It's not actually physically out until Thursday 18th October, the same day as the launch do at the Caxton Arms (at least that's what I've been told).
3) I believe that the club shop is going to stock it, but I'm not exactly sure when. Looking like the end of November/Leicester City game at the very earliest.

Any other queries, feel free to drop me a line.
Spence
 




el punal

Well-known member
I had the pleasure of chatting to Peter O’Sullivan, Gary Williams, Andy Rollings and Chris Cattlin many moons ago, not that they would remember! It will be nice to meet some of them again now that we’ve all grown up disgracefully!
 


Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
I hope City Books will stock it. The original plan was to involve them in the launch, but it's too small (plus the Caxton, the more we thought of it, just became the obvious choice). They're aware of it and received a review copy, so I'd like to think they'll get a box or two in.

Funnily enough 'Sully', Gary Williams and Andy Rollings will all be there on Thursday evening, so you'll have the pleasure all over again! Fair play in particular to Ian 'Reggie' Goodwin and Lammie Robertson. They live in Coventry and deepest Cheshire respectively, not exactly handy, but will be travelling down on the day and staying over. Both are marvellous raconteurs as well. Having guys like that all in one room - well, pub - will be a dream come true.
 




dejavuatbtn

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
7,128
Henfield
Reggie was a big hero of all us 6th formers at HGS back in the early 70s. I seem to recall one of our NSC contributors painting a portrait of him that we all signed it and sent it to him.
Proper leg end.
 




Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
…..which is good to know. Thank you Robinjakarta for enlightening and, just as importantly, thank you for buying a copy of the book.
 




papajaff

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2005
3,968
Brighton
I'll be there on Thursday Mr Vignes. Ian Goodwin played in my first ever Albion away game. Bournemouth, April 1972.

I remember when Cloughie first came down here. The Match of the Day cameras were there and as a 13 year old kid, I stayed behind just to see the man. After the usual interview, he herded the handful of us who stayed behind to the corner of the West Stand by the North Stand and asked us to listen. Set out his vision for where he wanted to take the Albion. I was spellbound and even though he left us very prematurely, I loved the man from then on.

What a great memory that is to have.
 


Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
He certainly put us on the map, papajaff. That, in my opinion, is his chief legacy when it comes to the Albion.

My research revealed that the players were divided largely along lines of age as to how they felt about Clough. The younger ones, who he encouraged, tended to be pro-Clough whereas the older ones, who he seemed to think were beyond influence/moulding, were cast out into the wilderness (with the exception of Norman Gall, who was initially made captain before himself being cold-shouldered from March 1974 onwards). Several actually compared Clough to Mourinho in terms of man-management skills, or rather a lack of them!
 


Spencer Vignes

Active member
Oct 4, 2012
168
Just seen the news about Peter Brackley, another one who contributed to the book. Very, very sad and perhaps explains why my recent emails to him regarding the launch bash went unanswered. Peter's anecdotes about Clough were marvellous and help shed light on what Old Big Head was like to deal with from a media point of view. RIP Peter.
 




el punal

Well-known member
Well that was a really enjoyable evening at the Caxton Arms last night for the book launch of ‘Bloody Southerners’. Hats off to Spencer Vignes and those wonderful players of yore, namely Andy Rollings, Lammie Robertson, Peter O’Sullivan, Tony Towner, Ian Goodwin and Gary Williams. All were charming and approachable, and a bit naughty!

All in all, a great time and I’m glad I made the interminable train journey there and back from Southampton for something worthwhile. A mention also to Brett Mendoza for the buffet, his hospitality, and providing me with a bag for my signed copies of the book - top man! :cheers:
 


The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
Thanks to everyone who came along. We had a great time.

Thanks also to Brett for being a great pub host, and to City Cabs for forking out for the buffet. The publishers did rien for this do.

Steve Darby paid tribute to Peter Brackley, while Andy Rollings paid tribute to Steve Piper, and Spencer sold loads of books. We managed to speak to Ian Goodwin and Peter O'Sullivan for the Roar, and hopefully that will be in this week's show. A bloody wonderful evening, and my head hurts.

It will be featured on tonight's South East Today, where there will be a two-minute piece on the evening. Juliet Parkin interviewed Spencer, Ian Goodwin and Lammie Robertson, while the first two were also filmed reading extracts from the book. It will also be up on iPlayer for 24 hours.

Thanks again.
 






Hiney

Super Moderator
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
19,392
Penrose, Cornwall
Well that was a really enjoyable evening at the Caxton Arms last night for the book launch of ‘Bloody Southerners’. Hats off to Spencer Vignes and those wonderful players of yore, namely Andy Rollings, Lammie Robertson, Peter O’Sullivan, Tony Towner, Ian Goodwin and Gary Williams. All were charming and approachable, and a bit naughty!

All in all, a great time and I’m glad I made the interminable train journey there and back from Southampton for something worthwhile. A mention also to Brett Mendoza for the buffet, his hospitality, and providing me with a bag for my signed copies of the book - top man! :cheers:

Yes, it was WELL worth the drive from Southampton. Really looking forward to getting stuck into the book and it was good to catch up with a few NSC LEGENDS
 




Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Aug 25, 2011
63,392
Withdean area
Hi [MENTION=25768]Spencer Vignes[/MENTION] .

BBC1 SE news gave this great coverage with a very long article tonight (unusual for them, when it comes to football).

Interesting interviews, reminding us that Clough could be a pretty nasty bully to players he didn’t rate. He’s often put on a pedestal which ignores inconveniences like that. Good work in not going down that road.
 






Barry Izbak

U.T.A.
Dec 7, 2005
7,310
Lancing By Sea
Nice review in today's Daily Telegraph sports section
 


Not Andy Naylor

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2007
8,787
Seven Dials
Reggie was a big hero of all us 6th formers at HGS back in the early 70s. I seem to recall one of our NSC contributors painting a portrait of him that we all signed it and sent it to him.
Proper leg end.

I just might know who that was ...

Met Reggie at the launch and he remembers the HGS Goodwin For England banner very fondly.

The book, by the way, is brilliant. Can't recommend it highly enough.
 



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