18 years ago

[Tiddysdad]

I know I'm a couple of days late but 18 years ago 7th Dec this man died.

RIP Billy

[graingrover]

I remember an AGM in the Golf 'hut ' next door to Belle Vue . Top table was Directors and of course  BB who had a pint on the table infront of him. The club was as usual on the edge of financial oblivion  The Accountants presented and commented the accounts then silence fell as we awaited a question from some Financial Analyst lol .
 A lag from the back ot' hut shouts . When's tha gunna get a centre half Bremner  ? 

  Bremner was superb for Rovers . In his first coming he gave the youngsters their wings  and gave us the Snodins , Darrel Pugh and of course Dougie et al .   

[Drover]

Blimey,is it 18 years since he passed away?It was his first spell as our manager that got me hooked to going to the games rather just than looking for results.I was 10yrs old.Miss those good old days.RIP Billy.

[BobG]

Seconded all of this.

Disregarding everything he did at Rovers for a second, he was the man who scored one of the top 3 or 4 goals I've ever seen. He scored it in 1975 or 1976 but I can still see it clear as day.... That great Leeds side were away at Highfield Road. Place was absolutely jam packed. BB started racing from the centre circle straight through the heart of the Cov defence. He was at full pelt. And then Johnny Giles pinged this ball forwards. Not only was it absolutely right into BB's stride but it was airborne to clear the defenders in the way. I saw Billy look back over his left shoulder.  He kept on running. And then Giles' ball came in, over his shoulder, into his stride. And he smashed it. Right on the volley. Didn't break step. Bang. A truly awesome goal.

Leeds won 3-0 that day.

Ferguson senior was away with Utd in some far flung part of eastern Europe the day before Billy's funeral. He got back quite late the night before. Next morning, there he was. Paying his respects. I admired that. I still do. But I also recognise just what a man Billy Bremner must have been for Fergie to go to that trouble.

My Dad took time off from his job that morning. He went to BV and he stood there, outside the ground, as Billy's cortege slowly drove past. I don't think he was alone standing there either. My Dad was not a sentimental man. He was not a demonstrative man either. But he felt the need to go there, to pay his respects.

Billy gave me the inspiration to be a Rovers supporter as an adult. We'd been shite for ages. I was old enough to have left home. I'd got my own interests, my own friends. I wasn't in Donny any more. Jobs, girls, beer. They were all there to tempt me away from a rubbish football club and a rubbish football team. But Billy, and Billy's team, gave me the bug I've still got today.

BobG

[roversdude]

He put us on the football map
Still can't believe that is 18 years ago in a way he is still here

[IDM]

When I was a small kid, say 6 or 7, there were only two footballers we all aspired to be. Kevin Keegan and Billy Bremner.

A few years later my dad started taking me to. Belle Vue regularly - I could barely believe that a player of his stature was managing what I perceived as a poor 4th division side....

[ctay]

I only saw his second spell but still loved him. He use to have a chat with my dad...I was to star struck to say anything, he just use to pat my head. Always seemed to have time for the youngsters.

Anyone remember the young left winger Max Nicholson? He use to can him during games/reserve games.....then he would sub him, give him a hug and tell him how well he did!

Proper old school, still to this day its why I dont consider us and Leeds rivals. He use to buy anyone going spare from them - Ormsby, Ashurst, Brockie,Stiles etc..

[wing commander]

  When he was managing us I saw him in Marks and Spencers in town...I walked up to him and asked him if he minded giving me a autograph..."Course I can son,anythings better than shopping with the misses" he said and we had a 5 minute chat about footy.....priceless....

[sheffield exile1]

He came to the Mona WMC in Conisbrough when I was the branch secretary. We had a "meet the players" night with Billy and quite a few of the squad (I remember Ian Snod being one). My gran and great-grandmother who was well into her 80's, made the sanis/buffet etc.
Billy spent quite a while with my great gran, talking with her and paying her genuine attention, not just PR stuff. Her classic comment at the end of the night when we were clearing up had us all in stitches. "I dont know who that little Scotsman was who came to talk to me, but he was very polite" Classic !!

[1879Rovers]

He was a top bloke. I was very fortunate to know him personally and he would take football for hours and we often be seen partaking a game of Dominoes with the regulars in the social club (now the golf club).

He only turned out a few times for us but he was still head and shoulders above anyone else on the pitch and he was so skillful but people remember him for his tigerish midfield play.

He also took me training quite a few times and he was a hard worker. He hated seeing you with your hands on your hips or even dare to sit down after completing a run. Often you was sent off for another run if you did.

I remember striking up a bet with him in 1982 ahead of me going to watch a schoolboy international between England and Scotland at Wembley. This was after he had talked about his passion for playing for his country. The deal was, if England won he was to take me training with the first team for the day, if Scotiland won my old man had to get him a drink in the club. Unfortunately it finished 0-0.

Still hard to believe he died so young.

[Filo]

Went to an away game at Torquay, the pitch was like a paddy field, every other game in Div 4 had been called off, Billy appeared at the players entrance and handed out about 30 complimentery tickets to rovers fans, top bloke but when he played for Leeds I hated him