Ronnie Glavin

[yoda-jag]

Came across the following post on scottishfootballmonitor - its hidden away on Page 17 of the comments replying to the latest (and excellent) blog entitled the Continuing Voyage of Scottish Football - And The Wrath of Khan (also worth the 5 minutes reading time).

 

Thought it was worth sharing in its entirety here.

 

 

 

 

 

The word “hero” is said to be often misused and misplaced. To many it means someone famous or who has achieved a certain degree of public recognition for something or other. In New York it is a sandwich.

It is also said that you should never actually meet your heroes as you can only be disappointed when they don’t live up to your expectations. Personally, I think that is foolish as some people only become your hero because you have come into some kind of contact with them and have a personal affiliation with them.

When I was a primary schoolboy I came into contact with a young emerging professional footballer. He, and his family, became friendly with my parents and in turn this lead me into having contact with him. I remember being thrilled when he gave me a present of a strip with his number on it. I remember being more thrilled when he gave myself and a friend a guided tour of the stadium before a game—home dressing room, away dressing room, and all round—and introduced me to older, more experienced and better known teammates.

As I grew older, he always arranged that there were tickets left for me on matchdays so that I could just wander up to the stadium on a whim and sit with other players and club officials.

Later, as an impressionable teenager, I would laugh at daft practical jokes and tales of teammates and the chat of a group of young footballers going out to Johannas in Bath Street, or Clouds in town.

Yet even though I watched this young man’s career progress, it was his off field chat and demeanour that impressed me most and has stuck with me to this day. From a very early age he was out on a Tuesday and Thursday night coaching kids. This activity was much to his then girlfriend’s annoyance as I recall, and was frowned upon by and kept secret from his manager, who feared that such activity would lead to injury.

In discussing those coaching sessions he would describe kids of 16, 17—( he wasn’t much older himself!)—full of skill and enthusiasm— being taken apart by a team of “old crocks” in their thirties who knew that the ball moved faster than any man. He described vividly how these “old guys” didn’t run about they made the ball do the work. I could have listened to him talk about football for hours as his enthusiasm was infectious. He spent what I consider to be an awful lot of his time coaching, and believe me he didn’t like to lose at anything—even games you played on the living room floor.

The football shirt he gave me all those years ago was a Partick Thistle shirt, and the complimentary tickets I collected from the famous Molly who more or less ran Thistle front of house. The young player concerned was called Ronnie Glavin.

Of course I was delighted when he signed for Celtic, but not half as pleased as he was, or his dad Eddy, or brothers Junior and Tony.

I lost touch with Ronnie when he moved on to Barnsley where he achieved “hero” and cult status as a player.

He stayed in Yorkshire when his playing days ended, and as I understand it he gained his coaching badges with his pal Alan Hansen. He has coached ever since in a variety of ways organising soccer schools for businesses using the talents of former players to demonstrate how the ball still moves faster than any man. Further he spent time as the manager of Wakefield FC which plays in a regional league and some of you may remember that a few years ago—when they were known as Emley FC– he took them on a giant killing run in the FA cup only losing out 2-1 to West Ham at Upton Park after knocking out a few league clubs. Just goes to show that a good living can be made in football outwith the league set up and away from the spotlight of the national press.

I have had no contact with Ronnie for decades but a year or so ago I helped organise a bit of a surprise from some friends who were turning 50. One friend comes from Wakefield and I thought it would be a nice surprise to get him a Wakefield shirt. Accordingly I looked up the club and called the number given and asked to speak to Ronnie. The chap who answered the phone sounded a bit sceptical about being a long lost contact and wouldn’t put me on to him. Instead he asked me to drop him an e-mail which he would pass on. It took me a couple of days to do this and to be honest I was running out of time to get the shirt on time, which was purely my fault.

Well, I never got a reply to that e-mail, and I never got a call back by telephone. However, on the designated day a package arrived by post out of the blue and there was a signed shirt addressed with best wishes to my pal and signed “ Ronnie Glavin”.

In the same vein If I mention the name Davie Moyes most will automatically picture the Everton manager. Fewer will immediately wear a smile and see the face of David Moyes Snr in their minds. Davie senior was Mr Drumchapel Amateurs for years. Whilst he would honestly accept to being more of a Rangers man, it was wee red headed Mrs Moyes who gave young Davie his shock of hair and a love of the green and white. There are many who I have played and talked football with who speak of Moyes senior in almost reverential terms. Whether their team be blue, green, red, or white many now grown men believe that Davie Moyes tried to instill in them the qualities that it took to be good men let alone good footballers. Many a lesson in how to move a ball and read a game came from nights in the Drum, and many a practice move was re-enacted in bounce games on a Sunday afternoon on the blaze at Cleveden High School and other pitches around the north end of the city.

Moyes senior scouted for years and was absolutely steeped in football. He encouraged young David to get coaching badges whilst still playing, which saw the boy take to classes in Scotland, England Ireland and Germany whilst still earning a living as a player.

Perhaps worthy of even greater recognition is the time, effort and expense given to football by someone even less well known. A friend of mine who occasionally reads this drivel has spent 30 years or so playing, managing, coaching, organising and fundraising for a wee team called Balfron Rovers in the Strathendrick league. Gerry Pollock can be found in the Gartvale bar before each Celtic home game prior to taking his seat in the North stand. Together with ex ref Brian McGinlay (Ref: Mr McGinlay of Balfron) they organise the Rovers annual speakers night to raise money for the club. I have seen Gerry on the odd soaking wet night at Donaldson Park Balfron dressed in wellies and overalls with a pitchfork in hand trying to get some drainage into the pitch—accompanied I may say by his daft dog and even dafter wife! Even though he has now left management of the team to others he still goes to watch such internationally known visiting teams as Fintry, Gartocharn, Drymen, Buchlyvie, Kippen etc I would write and nominate him for an MBE or OBE for his services to Balfron Rovers and Lower league football if I thought he would appreciate it.

However as he is now a postman he probably sees the Queen’s head often enough without my interference.

Football is a passion, and in times when our houses are filled with Electronic gadgetry of all sorts it is important that some like Ronnie Glavin can earn a very good living within the game whilst not being part of what would be described as a major football club and league. Others like Davie Moyes reached a different level, and yet others like my pal Gerry just do it because they love it. Without football at this lower and sometimes hidden level then there would be no football worth talking about at all.

Not all footballing “ heroes” need be famous or internationally or nationally recognised. Perhaps the greatest accolade of all is that when such people look in the mirror they themselves simply do not see any kind of hero looking back—and that is class. Just class!

[Blackpool Jags]

Great post, YJ, and full of normally unrecognised truths.

[Fearchar]

Great post! Thank you.

[ayrshire jag]

I spoke with Ronnie Glavin at the Hall of Fame Event at thistle hotel 2 years ago. A real top guy who still cares about th Jags. Only thing I found amusing was his Yorkshire accent.AJ

[Mister Brown]

He can do magic. Ronnie was my first hero, with Denis McQuade.

 

Tenuous Jags link to Balfron Rovers. They play in the same league as my local team, Blanefield Thistle, who were indeed named after us. There cannot be many others who can claim this,

[Jaggernaut]

Ronnie Glavin: Thistle legend, and did well to scrape his studs down the end of Jinky Johnstone's leg in the League Cup Final; it was of course an accident.

[crazy davie]

Superb player. Absolutely loved him.

[kni]

Good to hear about Ronnie.

 

Wakefield is a crazy place on a Saturday night.

[Mojo4171]

Glavin started his career at Firhill as a centre forward and was a complete numpty nicknamed wooden top after a children's puppet series. It was Davy Mcthistle who moved him back to right half and the rest is history. The 71 game against Celtic was made safe when Jimmy Johnstone had to be taken off after meeting the bold Ronnies boot. He had a mixed time at Porkheid and was part of a large ex jag representation including Assistant Mngr Davie Mcparland, Jimmy Bone and Johnny Gibson. If only we had managed to hold on to that group the seventies would have been magical

[Blackpool Jags]

Glavin started his career at Firhill as a centre forward and was a complete numpty nicknamed wooden top after a children's puppet series. It was Davy Mcthistle who moved him back to right half and the rest is history. The 71 game against Celtic was made safe when Jimmy Johnstone had to be taken off after meeting the bold Ronnies boot. He had a mixed time at Porkheid and was part of a large ex jag representation including Assistant Mngr Davie Mcparland, Jimmy Bone and Johnny Gibson. If only we had managed to hold on to that group the seventies would have been magical

Glavin started his career at Firhill as a centre forward and was a complete numpty nicknamed wooden top after a children's puppet series. It was Davy Mcthistle who moved him back to right half and the rest is history. The 71 game against Celtic was made safe when Jimmy Johnstone had to be taken off after meeting the bold Ronnies boot. He had a mixed time at Porkheid and was part of a large ex jag representation including Assistant Mngr Davie Mcparland, Jimmy Bone and Johnny Gibson. If only we had managed to hold on to that group the seventies would have been magical

 

I would've described him more as a tryer at CF than anything. He was never going to get a sniff as a regular striker ahead of Bone and Coulston.

 

As in the case of others (eg Alex Forsyth, Jackie Campbell), the legendary Davie McP saw a talent in there that meant completely changing position. Ronnie packed a helluva shot, but the plaudits for 'hardest shot in the Thistle team' went to Forsyth.

 

Re the comment about Ronnie 'introducing' his studs to Jinky's shin, that in itself was actually a bit of a feat: many had tried to take the wee man out over the years and got nowhere near him.

[Winter of '63]

Some of the posts on this thread might suggest that Ronnie Glavin was a clogger and a failed striker. Well he is my all-time favourite Thistle player - just ahead of Alan Rough and Alan Hansen and a class above more recent favourites like Chic Charnley, Scott Paterson and Gary Harkins.

 

He started as a centre forward and actually displaced Jimmy Bone for a time in the promotion winning season. He was then converted into a brilliant mid-fielder...a grafter, who could make passes and surging runs through defences...and he had a thunderous shot. He was probably the best player in the League Cup winning team and carried the side for the next two seasons - top scorer from midfield.

 

I was gutted when he was transferred to Celtic - he scored 48 goals in 149 appearances for them, picked up a League Winners medal and a single Scottish cap. He moved on after a well publicised court case following a fire at his shop and ended up with Barnsley scoring over 70 goals for them and being voted their all time Cult Hero.

 

My recollection of the challenge with Jimmy Johnstone was that it was hard rather than malicious. I think they both got injured - if you watch the film of our fourth goal, Ronnie is off the pitch getting treatment and hobbles back on as the rest of the Thistle players are celebrating. We only needed 10 men to gub them!

[JeanieD]

Glavin was an excellent player - direct, strong, fair and could play a bit too. Certainly a class (or two) above Harkins, Paterson and Charnley but then again I suppose he played in a different era from them so any comparison might be difficult.

 

I suppose my favourite memory is the 2 goals he scored for us against Celtic at Firhill in 1973? One was a thunderous free kick another a delicate chip on the run in off the post - 2-0 (revenge for the 0-7 Dixie Deans game). He really did carry the post League Cup winning team as it broke up.

[Willjag]

I'll chip in as well, as many have said, Ronnie was also my favourite player of the time and would still be in my all time top Jags team. After establishing himself as one of the best midfielders in Scotland, the failed striker was stuck back up front for the Jags over a period when we had no decent strikers and was superb leading the line. One of the best strikers around at the time IIRC. I suspect this was another reason Celtic decided to add hime to their team at the time. An all-time Thistle great IMO.

[Jaggernaut]

This Youtube tribute to Glavin shows his unmistakable style.

 

[Muscat Jag]

Best midfielder I've seen at Firhill. Was devastated when he was sold on; the fact that it was to Celtic made it all the more painful.

[watties wallies]

Best midfielder I've seen at Firhill. Was devastated when he was sold on; the fact that it was to Celtic made it all the more painful.

correct MJ what a player had everything how about glavin right midfield and tommy gibb left mid happy days

[Jaggernaut]

correct MJ what a player had everything how about glavin right midfield and tommy gibb left mid happy days

 

That would indeed be wonderful to see. Maybe in the next world.....

[lady-isobel-barnett]

correct MJ what a player had everything how about glavin right midfield and tommy gibb left mid happy days

Indeed!

 

My all time Jags midfield would be Big Denis-Ronnie G-Chico-Davie McP but it would be hard leaving out Tommy Gibb.

[Jaggernaut]

Indeed!

 

My all time Jags midfield would be Big Denis-Ronnie G-Chico-Davie McP but it would be hard leaving out Tommy Gibb.

 

I wouldn't have thought of Denis and Davie McP as midfielders, great as they were.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I wouldn't have thought of Denis and Davie McP as midfielders, great as they were.

I know what you mean (tho' McP could play anywhere) but they'd both be in my all time Jags XI and I'd need to keep a couple of places for the strikers. Besides with Glavin playing you would hardly need other midfielders .

[kni]

Best midfielder I've seen at Firhill. Was devastated when he was sold on; the fact that it was to Celtic made it all the more painful.

 

Ronnie was one of my favourite players in the early 70s. But I was more upset when we sold Doug Somner and Joe Craig - what a partnership!

[Blackpool Jags]

I know what you mean (tho' McP could play anywhere) but they'd both be in my all time Jags XI and I'd need to keep a couple of places for the strikers. Besides with Glavin playing you would hardly need other midfielders .

 

That illustrates the problem with 'all time XIs': formations have changed so much over the years. When eg Davie McP and players before him were in their pomp even the then new (Helinio Herrera begotten) 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 formations were considered to be over defensive. In our great year, we were seen as deploying a 4-2-4 system with McQuade and Lawrie effectively as front men. The two orthodox midfielders in that side were Rae and Glavin; it could, these days, be looked at as 4-4-2 with Denis & Bobby as wide midfielders. A subtle difference in interpretation, but McParland, as a number 4 (numbers meant something then too), was - in new money - a right half: either a 'centre midfielder' or right-sided player; effectively, an in-betweener.

 

Also worth remembering that formations and tactics weren't as rigidly imposed and that individual flair was encouraged to blossom in its own way. When, for example, Bobby & Denis would swap wings, or Ronnie G and Alec F would join in a sustained period in or around the opposition's penalty area, that wasn't a pre-determined management-inspired tactical ploy, just talented individuals using their flair and instinct. That is the reason we would see bizarre results like the 8-3 (v Motherwell) game and other scores that made the game in those days more interesting.

 

Btw, I probably short-changed Ronnie Glavin in my earlier post; not intended - I was a massive fan of his. He was kinda the glue that held the side together in bad periods.