Tag Archives: She Wore

The Origins of the Perry Groves Song (and why No.7 was Liam Brady?)!

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Whilst I search my memory banks for the latest update on my Arsenal story (Part I & Part II) I digress from this to disclose the origins of the Perry Groves World song!

Fans have always had  tongue in cheek songs for the players that were not A list or Category A to use a pricing theme over the years.

Willie ! Willie ! – for Willie Young.!
Whoops a daisy it’s Martin Hayes-ee! ( I’d like to know who started that one!)

But,the Perry Groves World is one that took off, and its popularity remains today, being sung at both home and away games on a regular basis.

So, where and when did it emerge? All can be revealed!

I’ll take you back to the 1980s and the English club ban from Europe following Heysel – the current 20 somethings are blessed with the European way trips every year whilst the 20 somethings of the mid 80s had that door slammed shut in our faces. It looks now a strange quirk that whilst the clubs were banned, the international team carried on, so the England fans still had their away trips (anyway, I digress)!

Others looked to Celtic or Rangers as an outlet for their wanderlust! For some of my Arsenal mates and myself, we of  the London Irish parish of the broad Arsenal church did Ireland away trips in Europe  during the interlull!

For those who have donned the international cap, a degree of decorum is required what when meeting your fellow country fans because they are not all Arsenal! But, what tended to happen at least in my experience is you left your club allegiances at the bar door and shared the commonality of away trips, away grounds, policing etc. We got on well with a number of cockney reds of Irish descent! Shock horror now regarding fraternising with Man United fans, but the Man United of the late 80s was not the one of today ,although they seem to be moving back that way!

These were good lads, proper football fans, not like the current breed. They knew their football history and called our North Bank  the Laundry End! (They were right!)

At the end of an evenings drinking a few club songs would break the general neutral détente!  But nothing too controversial! We sang in praise of the AFC and they matched this with a the sing a long pf “we all live in a Georgy Best world!” – A late 60s song. (City sang a version to a Colin Bell world! They went through the numbers, but when it came to no 7, they sang in praise of their captain Bryan (man of the match) Robson!

The song was a catchy and uplifting  football song! My mate (who shall remain nameless) in an inspired  drink fuelled moment of clarity thought of a take the piss response version.

Perry Groves, who was a fan, who gave his all. As a player, Groves was never going to be a Georgy Best in terms of ability, but more than a Best in terms of loyalty, so was sung in response! We sang it in fake Manc accents and we were of the vintage that Liam Brady just had to be No 7!!

The song was a hit in pubs on the Ireland way trips! In terms of Arsenal games, we were still of that age and clique that considered singing was for the barmys other than  “Be Jesus said Paddy!”

It took until May 1991 for the song to debut when we were in the Bank Of Friendship on the day that Liverpool got beat by Nottingham Forest to give us the 1991 league title before we played Man United later that evening. Thinking back on it, it was due to the occasion one rare time when all my AFC gang including the London Irish away trip ones were together!

We debuted the Perry Groves song to the pub as the drink and champagne flowed! It went down a treat. We continued on the celebrations the following Saturday when we had the Championship presentation after hammering Coventry 6-1!! We sang the song in more pubs and heard the song echo elsewhere!!!

Songs are often established on away trips! I have read before that the song was heard first at Vienna away in the European Cup the following autumn. Possibly! The song was on the fans singlist by then and none of my gang were in Vienna. I heard it first at a match  at the away game after our FA Cup disaster at Wrexham. We were at QPR away, me and a mate (who would always turn up following a bad defeat to show his support). Perry was warming up on the touch line and our way support sung Perry Groves World!

The song is still sung today. Although the “Liam Brady no 7” is forgotten by the present generation rather like the old Sicilian guy in The Godfather 2 trying to get  a young wedding  band to remember an old Sicilian tune!

As an aside to my older ears, all football songs are now sung too fast or in the case of the new Flamini song, out of tune Mrs Robinson!

“All Continue reading →

Are Theo Walcott and Eden Hazard equals?

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On Saturday, I made a comparison between Eden Hazard and Theo Walcott on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/422019060184788992

Anyone who follows me knows I am a massive stats man. It is very easy to confuse a player playing well due to step overs, cute passes and plenty of skill, whilst writing off a player who plays a very simple, yet effective game.

Comparing Theo Walcott to Eden Hazard got me a lot of criticism. Perhaps rightly so. Many claimed Eden Hazard to be world class football, who will become an equal amongst Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar. Whilst Theo Walcott is no more than a (and I quote) “Yet another Englishman who has not fulfilled his potential.

To use some stats from the period highlighted earlier (that being for last season and this), in the last 2 seasons, the above mentioned have scored in all competitions:

  • Cristiano Ronaldo: 84 goals
  • Neymar: 67
  • Lionel Messi: 66
  • Theo Walcott: 27
  • Eden Hazard: 24

So the 1st thought from me is “who is crazier, me comparing Walcott to Hazard, or those people who put Hazard in the Messi/Neymar/Ronaldo bracket.’ I think the stats tell you the answer.

Moving on, the main criticism I got was that ‘I had to remember Hazard was in a new league, and that I should be comparing his first 54 Premier League games to Walcott’s 1st 54”. Firstly, this is ridiculous. Walcott was 19 when he had played 54 Premier League games. To compare a 19 year old to a 23 year old is just pointless. However, this did actually send me down another route of thinking which produced many similar stats:

  • Both Eden Hazard & Theo Walcott made their professional debut’s at 16
  • Both Eden Hazard & Theo Walcott made their international debut’s at 17
  • Theo Walcott is 24, Eden Hazard is 23
  • Both Eden Hazard and Theo Walcott’s best position is wide forward
  • Both Eden Hazard & Theo Walcott have scored 74 club goals
  • Both Eden Hazard and Theo Walcott have scored 5 international goals (Hazard has 6 more caps)
  • Eden Hazard has played 282 games for Lille & Chelsea, Theo Walcott has played 281 games for Arsenal

The big argument for Hazard is that he has only just joined the Premier League. But that can be countered fairly easy. It would not have been hard for Hazard to settle to living in England. He moved to Lille at 14, so living abroad was normal for him. Lille is based in the North West of England, and is very similar to England in terms of climate and culture. It is linked to the EuroStar. Hazard was born in Belgium. Belgium, like the Swiss, have adopted English as a second or 3rd language. The majority of the country speak it fluently. Eden Hazard spoke it fluently.

So the ‘settling’ argument is out of the window. The French league is a similar style of play to England, and Hazard would have had no trouble settling into English life. The weather would have been no problem, nor would the food, or the language. Therefore, I ask, is it so ludicrous to compare Theo Walcott to Eden Hazard?

The difference between the 2 is Eden Hazard is better on the eye. He has a trick. He has a step over. He has a shimmy. Whilst Theo Walcott is more direct. More simple. But the end product of both is the same.

A reminder of the stats:

  • Theo Walcott: 45 Premier League games in the last 2 seasons, 19 goals, 15 assists
  • Eden Hazard: 54 Premier League games in the last 2 seasons, 18 goals, 17 assists

So one plays with a bit of razzmatazz, whilst another is not that pretty on the eye, yet their output is the same.

A lot of people moan that we watch Eden Hazard for 2 seasons yet did not buy him, but surely Theo Walcott is the justification behind him? Why spend £30odd million on Eden Hazard when we have a player who scores and assists as many goals?

Theo Walcott and Eden Hazard are two players of similar age, similar experience and play in the same position. The only difference between them is they play the game in a different way. One turned left to walk around the globe, the other turned right, but they both ended up on the other side of the earth at the exact same time. One skipped their, the other walked. One did it with style, the other did it simply. Well you get my point.

So let me ask you, is it so silly for me to say that Theo Walcott and Eden Hazard are equals?

Keenos

Premier League at its tightest ever?

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Without trying to be captain obvious, it is getting tight at the top. On Christmas Day, Liverpool were top of the league. The last time a side was top of the league at Christmas and not go on to win the league was Liverpool, back in 2008/09. 17 days after Christmas, they find themselves in 6th place, not even in a Europa League spot.

Since Liverpool topped the league on Christmas Day, Arsenal, Manchester City and now Chelsea have also topped the Premier League. This just go’s to show how tight it is at the top, and it is getting closer.

Whilst Manchester United and Spurs are out of the title race (for now) Spurs could have gone into a Champions League spot had results gone their way yesterday. As for Manchester United, they are having their worst season in Premier League history, yet find themselves just 2 points behind Liverpool, who are having one of their best seasons. Liverpool, just a few weeks ago were being considered title contenders, whilst United are a club in crisis.

Manchester City could go top today with a win over Newcastle. They could then be usurped by Arsenal if we win against Aston Villa on Monday. When was the last time the Premier League had 3 different leaders over a weekend in January?

This years title race will go down to the wire. And it is getting to a point where you look at Manchester United, in 7th place, just 9 points behind leaders Chelsea, that you have to think that they might not yet be out of the race.

The Premier League is regaining its place as the most exciting league in Europe. When I look across the major European leagues, no where is it as tight as it is in England.

  • Premier League: 9 points separate top 7, 5 points separate top 4
  • Bundesliga: 16 points separate top 7, 12 points separate top 4
  • Ligue 1: 18 points separate top 7, 14 points separate top 4
  • La Liga: 20 points separate top 7, 14 points separate top 4
  • Serie A: 23 points separate top 7, 13 points separate top 4

What it also means is that Arsenal fan’s should not get too cocky about the ‘gap’ between Spurs and ourselves. Despite Spurs sacking their manager, and buying £100m of tripe, they are currently just 5 points behind us. Taking into account that in the last few years, we have overhauled a gap of over 10 points in January to finish above them, it is certainly not a time to be too cocky.

A victory against Aston Villa will put us back on top of the table. After defeat against Aston Villa at home on the opening day of the season, every Arsenal fan would have taken being top (or even 3rd, 1/2 points behind the leaders) after 21 games.

The Premier League is at its tightest ever.

Keenos