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[Football] RIP Ian StJohn



M

Mo Gosfield

Well-known member
Aug 11, 2010
6,285
Shankly and Liverpool were desperate to win the FAC. Since their formation in the early 1890's they had failed to win it. It meant far more to them than winning league titles and it was Ian St John who headed the winning goal in 1965 v Leeds. A really good mobile forward, who later found fame on ITV. To those of us of an older vintage, it was regular lunchtime viewing. The ever smiling Scot and the cheeky chappie from East London.
RIP.
 




Beach Hut

Beach Hut

Brighton Bhuna Boy
Jul 5, 2003
71,974
Living In a Box
He was fantastic with Greavsie, to this day the show he did when the used Greavsies Spitting Image puppet (because he was unwell) is true football comedy genius
 






nicko31

nicko31

Well-known member
Jan 7, 2010
17,611
Gods country fortnightly
RIP Ian, very entertaining guy...
 








dejavuatbtn

dejavuatbtn

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2010
7,210
Henfield
DavidinSouthampton said:
As a kid in Worthing in the 1960s my First Division team was Liverpool. He was a hero and my eyes genuinely moistened when I read this just now.

I don’t know if anybody else would remember, but before the 1970 (?) World Cup the BBC held a competition to find a new commentator. It was won by somebody called Idwal Robling, but Ian StJohn came second, and they were anonymous until the results were announced. He was very good! Which was reflected in the Saint and Greavsie show.

And finally, some graffiti from a Liverpool wall in the 1960s:
“What would you do if Jesus came back to earth tomorrow?”
“Move StJohn to inside right”
Click to expand...

Only saw him live once and that was in the mid 60s at the Dell as part of Shankly’s first great team.
Great guy who always happy to sign autographs and chat to the fans. Enjoyed his humour and presentation style with Greaves. Another gone from another era. RIP. You’ll be remembered.
 




Pavilionaire

Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,590
Saint and Greavsie was part of my teenage years. They were a brilliant double act, such superb banter and they were really pioneers in what they did, an inspiration for shows like Fantasy Football League with Skinner and Baddiel, Soccer AM with Tim Lovejoy and Helen Chamberlain and Soccer Saturday with Jeff Stelling and the crew.

What is also incredible is that St John only played 21 times for Scotland, scoring 9 times. That shows the strength in depth of the Scotland team at that time.

R.I.P. The Saint.
 


hart's shirt

hart's shirt

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
10,198
Kitbag in Dubai
Compared with Football Focus which takes itself far too seriously and increasingly has me reaching for the remote, Saint and Greavsie was a breath of fresh air, albeit as fresh as one you could imagine in a smoky bar with the drinks flowing shortly after the closing credits had run.

In a time before VAR, xG and Opta's paralysis by analysis, it was the perfect partnership of 2 mates who loved watching the game and each other's company.

The success of Fantasy Football League with Baddiel and Skinner on the sofa clearly owed a lot to the relaxed chatty style of S&G.

And Greavsie's comment of "Donald, you don't know what you've done there..." was clearly way ahead of its time.

As many have said, it was part and parcel of the Saturday matchday routine.

Another bit of childhood gone. Thanks for the memories, Saint.

 
Last edited:


Weststander

Weststander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Aug 25, 2011
64,084
Withdean area
hart's shirt said:
Compared with Football Focus which takes itself far too seriously and increasingly has me reaching for the remote, Saint and Greavsie was a breath of fresh air, albeit as fresh as one you could imagine in a smoky bar with the drinks flowing shortly after the closing credits had run.

In a time before VAR, xG and Opta's paralysis by analysis, it was the perfect partnership of 2 mates who loved watching the game and each other's company.

The success of Fantasy Football League with Baddiel and Skinner on the sofa clearly owed a lot to the relaxed chatty style of S&G.

And Greavsie's comment of "Donald, you don't know what you've done there..." was clearly way ahead of its time.

As many have said, it was part and parcel of the Saturday matchday routine.

Another bit of childhood gone. Thanks for the memories, Saint.

Click to expand...


I avoid Football Focus, but loved it as a kid (late 70's/early 80's).

Now very boring, gushing over the Guardiola miracle, predicting the obvious result for each fixture.

The old prog, along with Saint and Greavsie, had a light feel.
 




G

Garry Nelson's teacher

Well-known member
May 11, 2015
5,257
Bloody Worthing!
DavidinSouthampton said:
As a kid in Worthing in the 1960s my First Division team was Liverpool. He was a hero and my eyes genuinely moistened when I read this just now.

I don’t know if anybody else would remember, but before the 1970 (?) World Cup the BBC held a competition to find a new commentator. It was won by somebody called Idwal Robling, but Ian StJohn came second, and they were anonymous until the results were announced. He was very good! Which was reflected in the Saint and Greavsie show.

And finally, some graffiti from a Liverpool wall in the 1960s:
“What would you do if Jesus came back to earth tomorrow?”
“Move StJohn to inside right”
Click to expand...

As another Worthing lad of that era, yes, I remember Idwal Robling but I never knew the Saint was up for it too. Apparently Idwal and St John tied in the commentator comp and Alf Ramsey had the casting vote. Strange that he didn't give it to a Scot!
 




S

Sirnormangall

Well-known member
Sep 21, 2017
2,970
How sad. Would never miss Saint & Greavsie - the first programme of its type - and was surprised when it stopped.
 






Ooh it’s a corner

Ooh it’s a corner

Well-known member
Aug 28, 2016
4,898
Nr. Coventry
Yes - it’s been great just watching some of the S and G clips that people have posted here. Definitely of it’s time but it was a great programme and the chemistry between S and G was at its heart. Sadly as people know poor Jimmy has been in very poor health in recent years and now Saint has gone before him. Great footballer and great personality. RIP Saint.
 


rocker959

rocker959

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2011
2,802
Plovdiv Bulgaria
RIP Saint
 






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