Billy Ayre

[JimmyHampsonEastStand]

Discovered Billy Ayre’s grave very recently - surprised it’s not in the NE, but in Lancashire on the outskirts of Ormskirk. Almost 20 years to the day since he passed away.
Time to remember the great man by recalling your favourite memory of him…

 

[midfield general]

Just have forgot he was only 50!
He was always the inspiration to go watch the next game especially after a defeat.
It was great to see him geeing up the players.

 

[seasideone]

Hartlepool away, when he can over to the few of us there and let of some steam about that lot!

Brilliant

 

[BIG_BERTHA_3]

This should be up in the Hall of Fame @jockdodds

 

[BFC59]

Everything I love in a manager passion ,honesty ,commitment,
I called him the lower leagues Bill Shankly .
Gone but never forgotten you are a Blackpool f.c legend.

 

[BIG_BERTHA_3]

Everything I love in a manager passion ,honesty ,commitment,
I called him the lower league Bill Shankly .
Gone but never forgotten you are a Blackpool f.c legend.

Just imagine if he had had some backing from the owner.

 

[BigHandsOliverKahn]

Just read his Wikipedia page. Love how 10 years after he had been sacked by Oyston, Pool fans on their way into the LDV final spotted Ayre and lifted him up on their shoulders and carried him into the stadium. Showed graphically how unpopular his sacking had been.

 

[haggertyf]

When he came back to Bloomfield Rd for the first time since he was sacked with Cardiff in what was a relegation encounter the reception he got from the Pool fans was unbelievable, never seen anything like that before or after for any ex player or manager. Brought a tear to eye that day

 

[Scaramanga]

Loved the bloke.

 

[PNENIL]

Funnily enough I was walking through Carleton Crem the other week, something I've never done before. I didn't realise how big it was but virtually the first grave I glanced at was John Mcphee. Checked the date on the internet and it was our John Mcphee.

 

[Halifax71]

Hartlepool away, when he can over to the few of us there and let of some steam about that lot!

Brilliant

He only came over as he was getting grief.

Recall it being a bit wet that night.

 

[Halifax71]

After Torquay "I've never had a worse moment in my life, never mind football."

 

[seasideone]

He only came over as he was getting grief.

Recall it being a bit wet that night.

Yeh he was. - and he came over and it the record straight.

It was a bit wet

 

[Thepoolaregoingup]

Forever in our hearts…just as it reads on the headstone.

My avatar also speaks volumes. That was Barnet in the PO SF, from the scratching shed roof. The only BFC manager I think I took a picture of…

 

[fcblackpool]

I remember Terry cooper the Bristol C manager after we'd beat them 1-0 in a promotion game asking whether 'We (Billy Ayre) fed the players on raw meat' such was the passion they showed that night.

 

[TSSeasider]

First hero in football; absolutely love him.

20th anniversary of his death could be marked; I know we did it for his 10th.

How quickly time slips away.

 

[Seainsea]

Forever in our hearts…just as it reads on the headstone.

My avatar also speaks volumes. That was Barnet in the PO SF, from the scratching shed roof. The only BFC manager I think I took a picture of…

That Barnet game sticks in my mind. The atmosphere was already building but when Billy came out and did that fist pump he took it to another level

 

[Jaffa_The_Hut]

We had Billy over at our Lightning club BAE Systems Warton when he was manager and about half a dozen of the first team players for a social evening.
Great event attended by loads of people, loads of phots shoots and loads memorabilia exchanged.
As I recall it’s was the year we won the Marsden Lancashire cup, never seen such a massive bit of silver ware in my life.
Great man was Billy taken far too early.

 

[Satriale's Pork Store]

20 years!!!!

Jeez; my memories of King Billy are just as good as those of our year in the Prem..

A true legend of our club during difficult times.

RIP King Billy; never forgotten

 

[Lytham_fy8]

Just read his Wikipedia page. Love how 10 years after he had been sacked by Oyston, Pool fans on their way into the LDV final spotted Ayre and lifted him up on their shoulders and carried him into the stadium. Showed graphically how unpopular his sacking had been.

 

[Westby]

My lad was Mascot at Crewe early 90s and as we looked at the sea of tangerine behind the goal there were tears in his eyes as he was so proud . Lovely man

 

[Lytham_fy8]

Looked like he wanted to rip your head off until he spoke, a quietly spoken intelligent gentleman who saved us from non league because that's where we were heading under Carr and the Oystons, the players clearly adored him and the belief he put back in the side was one of the great turn arounds, were we 20th when he took over? We missed automatic by only three points that season., missed it by a point the season after.

Rest in peace Billy, still number one.

 

[CGP1]

I always mention it whenever his name comes up, but one time at Turf Moor, and we'd just had a whacking at home the game before. might have been one of the York 5-0s?

Mood was very low but we took a huge crowd to Burnley, and the place erupted as they came out by our corner. Then Bill came out and stopped, shook his head like he couldn't believe how many there were there. Then the fist went and we erupted again.

 

[TSSeasider]

I always mention it whenever his name comes up, but one time at Turf Moor, and we'd just had a whacking at home the game before. might have been one of the York 5-0s?

Mood was very low but we took a huge crowd to Burnley, and the place erupted as they came out by our corner. Then Bill came out and stopped, shook his head like he couldn't believe how many there were there. Then the fist went and we erupted again.

I wondered whether Neil Critchley thought something similar on Saturday; two relatively poor performances, got beat by a dreadful excuse of football team but biggest rival on Tuesday; then walks about to a wall of noise and supporters who were pretty relentless on Saturday.

It has to help and I really hope it matters on a personal as well as professional level.

 

[Lytham_fy8]

I wondered whether Neil Critchley thought something similar on Saturday; two relatively poor performances, got beat by a dreadful excuse of football team but biggest rival on Tuesday; then walks about to a wall of noise and supporters who were pretty relentless on Saturday.

It has to help and I really hope it matters on a personal as well as professional level.

I would imagine it does, especially as last season there was no one there.

 

[Tangerine Manc]

Loved the guy , best manger in my lifetime and I am 48
when The dugouts were on the east side , always wearing his sorts

trying to think any other manger who is so revered as much as King Billy
does Neil or Iain come close

 

[Strahan92]

Remember singing his name during that Leeds game ten years ago.

Are there any plans to mark this anniversary during the Birmingham game? Sounds like his family will be there.

First hero in football; absolutely love him.

20th anniversary of his death could be marked; I know we did it for his 10th.

How quickly time slips away.

 

[Lytham_fy8]

Loved the guy , best manger in my lifetime and I am 48
when The dugouts were on the east side , always wearing his sorts

trying to think any other manger who is so revered as much as King Billy
does Neil or Iain come close

Holloway could have been but has blotted his copybook since leaving, Critch could well be held in the same esteem but has much easier working circumstances with a supportive and excellent chairman and an entire team behind him whereas Billy had a wanker of a chairman, no money and was more or less on his own, time will tell.

 

[Dave62]

Looked like he wanted to rip your head off until he spoke, a quietly spoken intelligent gentleman who saved us from non league because that's where we were heading under Carr and the Oystons, the players clearly adored him and the belief he put back in the side was one of the great turn arounds, were we 20th when he took over? We missed automatic by only three points that season., missed it by a point the season after.

Rest in peace Billy, still number one.

Agreed, decent coverage of his achievement in this short story and interview
RIP Billy

 

[RUSTY_2_STANDS]

Billy was one of my cousin's best mates. Sadly my cousin who lived in the same area (Scarisbrick) died recently But I remember him talking very fondly of Billy and being absolutely gutted when he died.

 

[TimperleyTangerine]

No manager comes close in my 40 years watching Pool, not even Holloway. What you got from Billy was absolute honesty and consistency, win, lose or draw. Loved and respected by fans and players. If we were rubbish he’d admit it. Win, lose or draw he thanked the fans in exactly the same way.

Spoke to him once in the car park next to the Tangerine Night Spot. Just such a warm and genuine guy, left a lasting impression on me.

 

[TimperleyTangerine]

I wondered whether Neil Critchley thought something similar on Saturday; two relatively poor performances, got beat by a dreadful excuse of football team but biggest rival on Tuesday; then walks about to a wall of noise and supporters who were pretty relentless on Saturday.

It has to help and I really hope it matters on a personal as well as professional level.

Difference is that Billy thanked fans win, lose or draw. Critch generally only does it when things go well.

 

[TSSeasider]

Loved the guy , best manger in my lifetime and I am 48
when The dugouts were on the east side , always wearing his sorts

trying to think any other manger who is so revered as much as King Billy
does Neil or Iain come close

I'm 49 and I agree.

I do think NC has the chance to be put in the same bracket as he appears to have a similar outlook on football and life.

I'd love my kids to be able to talk about NC in the same way I talk about BA; in this day and age of transient managers, it would be some achievement.

 

[Blackpool78]

I remember when Billy addressed the fans outside the Town Hall during the promotion celebration night in '92. It has gone down in history as the "We stuffed Burnley" speech. It would be great if we could hear "Billy Ayre's Tangerine Army" ringing around the stadium again.