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Post by flea79 on Apr 5, 2024 13:39:35 GMT
The Banks one being located on council land rather than the clubs is a disgrace, as is the fact we almost lost the Stanley Matthews one due to not wanting to upkeep it. I support the owners in lots of ways, and give them a very wide birth. But on these things they have fallen, way, way short of the mark. The Stan statue should be front and centre behind the boothen end on its own paved/lit area. The banks statue should be outside the the entrance to the main stand as people enter. And as others have said, if the stan statue is to stay where it is, efforts should be made to make it more prominent. stans statue is in dire need of attention and rennovation, the plinth is eroding and looks terrible |
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Post by chad on Apr 5, 2024 13:48:53 GMT
He was , and still is, my all time favourite Stoke player
What we would give today for a player who could score that many goals every season
It was a great shame he was ever sold
Big John. Simply the best
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Post by frasier37 on Apr 5, 2024 14:15:16 GMT
I wonder what it was that got them get their finger out at last  |
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Post by tuum on Apr 5, 2024 15:08:59 GMT
I wonder what it was that got them get their finger out at last I suppose spending money on relocating a statue is not a high priority when you haven't got a pot to piss in although I doubt the costs would be part of the FFP analysis. I am not going to slag the club off for such a small matter. It's done now, for whatever reason, and people are happy. That'll do for me. |
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Post by frasier37 on Apr 5, 2024 15:21:51 GMT
I wonder what it was that got them get their finger out at last I suppose spending money on relocating a statue is not a high priority when you haven't got a pot to piss in although I doubt the costs would be part of the FFP analysis. I am not going to slag the club off for such a small matter. It's done now, for whatever reason, and people are happy. That'll do for me. Just wondering why now though? They've had loads of stick over the years for it being where it is and ignored it all. |
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Post by tcdobinghoff on Apr 5, 2024 15:29:47 GMT
Great news. Could Stoke fans of the era help me out? With such a wonderful record, did he come close to international honours? If not, how come? Didn't be once play for the Football league side? That was my thought. So did Dennis Smith. It was an honour to be selected- but it occurred to me as I was recollecting it that I canāt remember who ( if anyone) the football league played against. Anyone help ? |
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Post by nottsover60 on Apr 5, 2024 15:42:10 GMT
Should never have been put where it was in the first place, another Tony Scholes special. Fair play to Simon King for resolving the issue. To be fair I think it was positioned so that he was looking towards the Victoria ground site. I'm sure he could have been given a more prominent accesible place but still facing the old ground. |
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Post by rowleyscfc on Apr 5, 2024 15:57:16 GMT
The Banks one being located on council land rather than the clubs is a disgrace, as is the fact we almost lost the Stanley Matthews one due to not wanting to upkeep it. I support the owners in lots of ways, and give them a very wide birth. But on these things they have fallen, way, way short of the mark. The Stan statue should be front and centre behind the boothen end on its own paved/lit area. The banks statue should be outside the the entrance to the main stand as people enter. And as others have said, if the stan statue is to stay where it is, efforts should be made to make it more prominent. Think the Sir Stan one should move also, sometime I forget its even there |
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Post by anchorman on Apr 5, 2024 16:00:05 GMT
I'm glad the Big John Ritchie statue is being relocated. A hero of mine as a kid and what a player, a proper goal scoring centre forward, both skilful & as hard as nails too. His career cut short by a shocking leg break away to Ipswich Town who were dirty bastards and if my memory serves me well, John wasn't the only player to get his leg broken against them. It cost us the league title with 4 broken legs down the spine of that amazing team. I recall as a young kid being down at the Victoria Ground near the players entrance. Me & my cousin were literally the only people in the street...it was kind of eerie to be honest, almost silent when suddenly the roar of a Rover 3.5 lit approached at speed. Out stepped John Ritchie, open his car boot, went into the players entrance before coming back out a few minutes later with several pairs of boots that he unceremoniously flung into his car. we were witnessing the end of the road for the legendary striker. To this day it struck me how silent it was, how sad and emotional I felt (even as a kid I got what was playing out before me) and how devastated he looked.....in a strange way I felt a privileged to witness an event that as supporters we wouldn't usually see. What a player, what a legend and what a man Big John Ritchie was. Leader.
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Post by AlliG on Apr 5, 2024 16:17:42 GMT
Didn't be once play for the Football league side? That was my thought. So did Dennis Smith. It was an honour to be selected- but it occurred to me as I was recollecting it that I canāt remember who ( if anyone) the football league played against. Anyone help ? Ritchie played for the Football League XI v Irish League XI in 1967/68 Denis played against the same opposition in 1970/71 Jimmy Greenhoff and Alan Dodd played against the Scottish League in 1975/76 |
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Post by RF10 on Apr 5, 2024 16:19:12 GMT
Bet even the statue of John would be more use than Wesley on the pitch.
EDIT: Our entire forwards.
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Post by Staffsoatcake on Apr 5, 2024 16:40:00 GMT
Didn't be once play for the Football league side? That was my thought. So did Dennis Smith. It was an honour to be selected- but it occurred to me as I was recollecting it that I canāt remember who ( if anyone) the football league played against. Anyone help ? The football league played other leagues like Scotland,plus other leagues,didn't matter what nationality you were,English,Scot,Welsh,if you played in the English league,you qualified. |
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Post by march4 on Apr 5, 2024 16:57:52 GMT
I'm glad the Big John Ritchie statue is being relocated. A hero of mine as a kid and what a player, a proper goal scoring centre forward, both skilful & as hard as nails too. His career cut short by a shocking leg break away to Ipswich Town who were dirty bastards and if my memory serves me well, John wasn't the only player to get his leg broken against them. It cost us the league title with 4 broken legs down the spine of that amazing team. I recall as a young kid being down at the Victoria Ground near the players entrance. Me & my cousin were literally the only people in the street...it was kind of eerie to be honest, almost silent when suddenly the roar of a Rover 3.5 lit approached at speed. Out stepped John Ritchie, open his car boot, went into the players entrance before coming back out a few minutes later with several pairs of boots that he unceremoniously flung into his car. we were witnessing the end of the road for the legendary striker. To this day it struck me how silent it was, how sad and emotional I felt (even as a kid I got what was playing out before me) and how devastated he looked.....in a strange way I felt a privileged to witness an event that as supporters we wouldn't usually see. What a player, what a legend and what a man Big John Ritchie was. Leader. Dobing also suffered a broken leg at Ipswich. |
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Post by stokienorthants on Apr 5, 2024 19:30:12 GMT
Does anyone know if the club arranged a testimonial game for him? I appreciate that todayās overpaid and pampered stars have no need for them but back in the day they were fairly common.
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Post by smiler_andy on Apr 5, 2024 20:41:26 GMT
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Post by jesusmcmuffin on Apr 5, 2024 20:42:43 GMT
Wasn't it 10 consecutive years in those days for a testimonial? |
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Post by stokienorthants on Apr 5, 2024 23:05:07 GMT
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Post by stokesaint1 on Apr 6, 2024 0:25:47 GMT
Put the statue in the oppositions 18 yard box tomorrow he would score one of his trademark headers... great player and servant honoured to of seen him play first hand. There would be more chance of the statue scoring with a header than one of our current "strike force". Out of interest can anyone recall the last time a striker of ours scored a headed goal? Or maybe I just have a bad short term memory. |
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Post by mistergumby on Apr 6, 2024 8:43:07 GMT
Great news. Could Stoke fans of the era help me out? With such a wonderful record, did he come close to international honours? If not, how come? He was a pretty decent, old fashioned centre forward of the sort that many of the clubs of the time had at least one, and sometimes two of, on their books. Always gave his all and was an acknowledged hard case but was probably not really mobile enough to be selected for England, especially when the game began to change in the mid to late 60's. There were also a lot of players of a similar type to choose from through his era (Astle, Chivers, Hurst, Osgood, Jones etc). Many pundits who influenced England team selection to a good degree considered Stoke a very mediocre and highly unfashionable club which didn't help Ritchie's case much either. He wasn't the only one in that unfortunate situation during that era - see also Greenhoff, Hudson and Smith. |
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Post by suck_the_mop. on Apr 6, 2024 8:49:48 GMT
Great news. Could Stoke fans of the era help me out? With such a wonderful record, did he come close to international honours? If not, how come? He was a pretty decent, old fashioned centre forward of the sort that many of the clubs of the time had at least one, and sometimes two of, on their books. Always gave his all and was an acknowledged hard case but was probably not really mobile enough to be selected for England, especially when the game began to change in the mid to late 60's. There were also a lot of players of a similar type to choose from through his era (Astle, Chivers, Hurst, Osgood, Jones etc). Many pundits who influenced England team selection to a good degree considered Stoke a very mediocre and highly unfashionable club which didn't help Ritchie's case much either. He wasn't the only one in that unfortunate situation during that era - see also Greenhoff, Hudson and Smith. Quite agree and in his later years as has been mentioned on other threads he would play a full game and literally hobble out of the club on a Saturday hobble back in on a Tuesday night play full game again. |
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Post by gingerninja on Apr 6, 2024 9:02:28 GMT
Having just read the article on John Ritchie, I have to admit I was not aware of his full story. What a story and what a player, as my Dad would often tell me, some of these current players would not be fit "too lace his boots".. Oh how we could do with a modern John Ritchie type nowš
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Post by owdestokie2 on Apr 6, 2024 9:35:30 GMT
Having just read the article on John Ritchie, I have to admit I was not aware of his full story. What a story and what a player, as my Dad would often tell me, some of these current players would not be fit "too lace his boots".. Oh how we could do with a modern John Ritchie type nowš Iām fortunate on several counts: 1. He was my hero as a young supporter and aspiring footballer. 2. I met him at social evening at the Clayton Lodge Hotel. Introduced to him as āheās a big fan of yours Johnā. he came and sat next to me and we spoke football for over an hour. An absolute gentleman in every way. 3. I remember as if it was yesterday his 3rd goal against Southampton and his gesture after it. I remember well the first time I saw his bust at the back of the Boothen End. The mate I was with said āit looks as though itās been dumped there by a delivery driver and nobodyās noticedā. Hopefully the new location will see his memory get the recognition he richly deserved. |
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Post by skip on Apr 6, 2024 9:48:08 GMT
3. I remember as if it was yesterday his 3rd goal against Southampton and his gesture after it. What was the gesture? |
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Post by lordb on Apr 6, 2024 10:07:29 GMT
3. I remember as if it was yesterday his 3rd goal against Southampton and his gesture after it. What was the gesture? Agincourt type |
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Post by mistergumby on Apr 6, 2024 10:15:28 GMT
3. I remember as if it was yesterday his 3rd goal against Southampton and his gesture after it. What was the gesture? Peter Osgood almost came here from Chelsea but went to Southampton instead and had been bad mouthing Ritchie in the press. Then not long after, Southampton came to the Vic for a league game which Stoke won 4-1. After his legendary hat trick goal, Ritchie turned towards Osgood and gave him a well known, time honoured and very British double digit gesture. |
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Post by owdestokie2 on Apr 6, 2024 10:16:43 GMT
3. I remember as if it was yesterday his 3rd goal against Southampton and his gesture after it. What was the gesture? After getting down on his knees to the head the ball over the line (out of character showmanship) he gestured to the crowd and Peter Osgood as he returned to the centre circle a two handed gesture. One hand with fingers clasped in the shape of nil/zero whilst holding three fingers up on his other handā¦ā¦.. 3 0 |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Apr 6, 2024 10:53:46 GMT
The Banks one being located on council land rather than the clubs is a disgrace, as is the fact we almost lost the Stanley Matthews one due to not wanting to upkeep it. I support the owners in lots of ways, and give them a very wide birth. But on these things they have fallen, way, way short of the mark. The Stan statue should be front and centre behind the boothen end on its own paved/lit area. The banks statue should be outside the the entrance to the main stand as people enter. And as others have said, if the stan statue is to stay where it is, efforts should be made to make it more prominent. Do we know why they are like they are with them? Because if it wasnāt for the actual families saying it, I donāt think Iād believe what has actually gone on. And Iām one of the biggest critics of the Coates family on here but this whole thing with the statues just makes zero sense. Iād get it if they were terrible statues but all 3 are excellent pieces of art. Add to that their status at the club and in two cases, their status in world football, whatās not to like? |
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Post by mistergumby on Apr 6, 2024 11:00:55 GMT
After getting down on his knees to the head the ball over the line (out of character showmanship) he gestured to the crowd and Peter Osgood as he returned to the centre circle a two handed gesture. One hand with fingers clasped in the shape of nil/zero whilst holding three fingers up on his other handā¦ā¦.. 3 0 That sounds right, come to think of it. My god how the memory changes things. I know something had gone on between Ritchie and Osgood but in the post goal melee of the Boothen End, I didn't see it all, being only 11 or 12. The uncle who I went to the match with then always insisted it was two fingers, which was considered a bit naughty for a pre teen in my immediate family in that era. My uncle was a bit of a character and he possibly set me up knowing I'd tell my old mum all about it and she'd flip (which she did). Or perhaps it was just that he wasn't very tall and didn't see the incident either LOL! |
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Post by jesusmcmuffin on Apr 6, 2024 11:11:40 GMT
Statue now outside the club shop
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Post by bayernoatcake on Apr 6, 2024 11:54:42 GMT
Would be great if they added some info boards and graphics behind it I think. Would add more character to that bit of the ground and would just look good and would inform people who might not know who he is (which will only increase as time goes on) his story.
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