slartibartfast Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 ......City made arguably their best ever signing! One John Galley . Almost single handedly kept us in the second tier. Was due to make his debut 50 years ago tomorrow , home to Villa but was postponed due to heavy snow...............the more things change, the more they stay the same ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Said Red Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 As I remember it, his debut was delayed due to injury and then in his 1st game he scored a hat trick away from home. For younger fans who don't know, his goals kept us in the 2nd division whilst Dicks built the team that would get us promoted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 I beleive he was signed with his leg in plaster, recovering from injury? From memory he scored a hat trick at Huddersfield on debut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted December 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 6 minutes ago, Port Said Red said: As I remember it, his debut was delayed due to injury and then in his 1st game he scored a hat trick away from home. For younger fans who don't know, his goals kept us in the 2nd division whilst Dicks built the team that would get us promoted. He arrived in a removable plaster but would have played but for the "white-out" . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 Incredible scoring record for us @slartibartfast just before my time, but according to my old man he got 15 or 16 in around his first 20 games after signing.. "Galley, Galley, Galley, Galley, born is the king of the West Country.." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 12 minutes ago, GrahamC said: Incredible scoring record for us @slartibartfast just before my time, but according to my old man he got 15 or 16 in around his first 20 games after signing.. "Galley, Galley, Galley, Galley, born is the king of the West Country.." "I'll walk a million miles for one of your goals John Galley" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted December 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 It's snowing heavily in Downend (just saying, like) ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTRFTG Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 Slarti - didn't Galley garner a reputation for always scoring on his debut? One hell of a centre forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted December 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 2 minutes ago, BTRFTG said: Slarti - didn't Galley garner a reputation for always scoring on his debut? One hell of a centre forward. Yes Wolves, Rotherham, us Forest.........then I lost track ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 As kids we managed to get his home phone number and rang him every few weeks for a chat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo88 Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 I can’t remember the fee City paid for him but it was peanuts compared to today’s transfers. Throw in the difference in players’ salaries and it’s a great illustration of how things have changed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted December 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 6 minutes ago, pongo88 said: I can’t remember the fee City paid for him but it was peanuts compared to today’s transfers. Throw in the difference in players’ salaries and it’s a great illustration of how things have changed £25000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashton_fan Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 He was different to today's strikers, probably because the ball is now so much lighter than it was. Every time he got sight of goal he would just hit it as hard as possible with either foot or head, no subtle finishes. Very effective though with some spectacular goals (and misses it has to be said). Wasn't so good running with the ball, but if he had been he wouldn't have been playing for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudolf Hucker Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 One of the best attacking headers of a ball I've ever seen. A thunderous shot too. He was my favourite player back in the day. He and Garland were a good combo. Can't believe that Galley signed fifty years ago - I feel older now than I did when I woke up this morning (although technically, I suppose I am!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dolman Pragmatist Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 "Galley is our king!" What a player he was - as someone says, his signing turned us around at a time when Alan Dicks seemed to be struggling (the big signing of Hughie McIlmoyle - who came at the same time as Chris Crowe and John Quigley - having largely not worked out). Then his partnership with Chris Garland really energised the club, though it was seven or eight years before we really saw the side take off. Galley ended up moving back to Centre Half and playing for Forest, I think, and possibly Hereford? Ended up on the staff of Forest, on the hospitality/pastoral side, I think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanatopia Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 2 hours ago, slartibartfast said: ......City made arguably their best ever signing! One John Galley . Almost single handedly kept us in the second tier. Was due to make his debut 50 years ago tomorrow , home to Villa but was postponed due to heavy snow...............the more things change, the more they stay the same ! That has given me a wee subject for tonights Match Day. Cheers me dears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS4 on Tour... Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 1 hour ago, slartibartfast said: Yes Wolves, Rotherham, us Forest.........then I lost track ! ......and wasn’t he winning the third div title with Hereford in 1976 while we celebrated promotion to the top tier? We completed a journey that he very much started...top player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Isewater Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 41 minutes ago, Rudolf Hucker said: One of the best attacking headers of a ball I've ever seen. A thunderous shot too. He was my favourite player back in the day. He and Garland were a good combo. Can't believe that Galley signed fifty years ago - I feel older now than I did when I woke up this morning (although technically, I suppose I am!) If I wake up , it's a good day ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillred Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 john galley superstar how many goals have you scored so far, happy memories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendyredredrobin Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 His name was always the first name i looked for in the team announcement. If it said John Galley, I knew we would score but if it said Terry Bush, I knew we wouldn't. Would upset my whole mood if he did not play though. Chris Garland set up a lot of his goals though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted December 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 1 minute ago, wendyredredrobin said: His name was always the first name i looked for in the team announcement. If it said John Galley, I knew we would score but if it said Terry Bush, I knew we wouldn't. Would upset my whole mood if he did not play though. Chris Garland set up a lot of his goals though. TBF TB had one golden season early 70's when he scored a lot when Galley was injured . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 1 hour ago, Rudolf Hucker said: One of the best attacking headers of a ball I've ever seen. A thunderous shot too. He was my favourite player back in the day. He and Garland were a good combo. Can't believe that Galley signed fifty years ago - I feel older now than I did when I woke up this morning (although technically, I suppose I am!) You go to sleep at night? Please tell me it ain't so, I naturally assumed with so many conquests that you were on the job every night, and some afternoons too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redysteadygo1 Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 2 hours ago, slartibartfast said: He arrived in a removable plaster but would have played but for the "white-out" . As I have reiterated before I was working at Ashton Gate leading up to his debut. In those days most of the training took place at the ground or across the road in the park. On the Friday before his debut the team were playing five a side on the car park and what a sight to behold. Galley was refereeing running up and down the line in a long overcoat and leg in plaster. I thought what the hell have we done signing this guy. Well what do I know, the rest is history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handsofclay Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 2 hours ago, BigTone said: As kids we managed to get his home phone number and rang him every few weeks for a chat As a kid I lived around the corner from him in Whitchurch. Got his autograph on his doorstep and he also came to my junior school as the guest star in assembly. He was literally a bronzed god, think he had just come back from holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudolf Hucker Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 1 hour ago, handsofclay said: You go to sleep at night? Please tell me it ain't so, I naturally assumed with so many conquests that you were on the job every night, and some afternoons too! Most of my conquests happen when I'm asleep. Correction, all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudolf Hucker Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 1 hour ago, handsofclay said: As a kid I lived around the corner from him in Whitchurch. Got his autograph on his doorstep and he also came to my junior school as the guest star in assembly. He was literally a bronzed god, think he had just come back from holiday. I'll bet he was pissed off when you dug it up and carted it away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigTone Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 7 minutes ago, Rudolf Hucker said: Most of my conquests happen when I'm asleep. Correction, all of them. Must be messy in the morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 He came from Rotherham, managed by Tommy Docherty. TD who told the Rotherham chairman when he joined them that he'd get them out of Division Two that season. They were relegated and it was Galley's goals that kept us up. For all of you young ones so used to instant digital info about every game in the world, I was at a reserve game at Ashton Gate and there was someone at Rotherham who phoned every time a goal was scored and then it was announced over loudspeaker. There were about a thousand at the reserve match and the cheer for each goal just got louder and louder. What a debut, Only ever surpassed by Joe Royle with his four against Boro but that wasn't quite so earth shattering as it was at home and Galley's goals were scored for a City team that looked dead certs for relegation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted December 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 7 minutes ago, cidered abroad said: He came from Rotherham, managed by Tommy Docherty. TD who told the Rotherham chairman when he joined them that he'd get them out of Division Two that season. They were relegated and it was Galley's goals that kept us up. For all of you young ones so used to instant digital info about every game in the world, I was at a reserve game at Ashton Gate and there was someone at Huddersfield who phoned every time a goal was scored and then it was announced over loudspeaker. There were about a thousand at the reserve match and the cheer for each goal just got louder and louder. What a debut, Only ever surpassed by Joe Royle with his four against Boro but that wasn't quite so earth shattering as it was at home and Galley's goals were scored for a City team that looked dead certs for relegation. Fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILINFRANCE Posted December 8, 2017 Report Share Posted December 8, 2017 57 minutes ago, cidered abroad said: He came from Rotherham, managed by Tommy Docherty. TD who told the Rotherham chairman when he joined them that he'd get them out of Division Two that season. They were relegated and it was Galley's goals that kept us up. For all of you young ones so used to instant digital info about every game in the world, I was at a reserve game at Ashton Gate and there was someone at Rotherham who phoned every time a goal was scored and then it was announced over loudspeaker. There were about a thousand at the reserve match and the cheer for each goal just got louder and louder. What a debut, Only ever surpassed by Joe Royle with his four against Boro but that wasn't quite so earth shattering as it was at home and Galley's goals were scored for a City team that looked dead certs for relegation. As @slartibartfast says, John Galley's debut was indeed away to Huddersfield (he was signed from Rotherham). My memory of that day, being neither at Huddersfield nor Ashton Gate, was queuing up to get the Green'un - I had already heard the score on the radio but didn't know who had scored - and hearing the comments and gasps as the (taller) adults were able to peer at the bundle of papers being delivered from the van and could obviously read the headline. Incidentally, if I recall correctly, Joe Royle's four goals on debut were whilst he was on loan, and didn't he go through a long barren spell for weeks after he signed permanently - not the first time something similar has happened once a loan has been converted to a permanent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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