RIP Ian St John

[Blue Sky]

Great left hook lol

 

[Steve Wigan]

Amazingly, I played football with him way way back, over 50 years ago at Silcocks Watts Lane playing fields. We used to play friendlies on a Sunday morning, and one of our guys, Albert Howard, lived near the players in Maghull, so St. John,Tony Kay and I think Jim Harrower and a few others 'guested' for us regularly. I remember St John playing while sidelined by the RS recovering from appendicitis. I remember him as a pleasant friendly guy...he played in goal one week,probably frustrated by putting beautiful through balls for me which I never managed to get to. I was a terrible footballer but once played as a striker with Kay and St. John either side of me...I should have scored ten but the nearest I got was a header over the bar which got a 'good effort' from Tony Kay. Thank you for the memories Saint,somehow those days were better days. The ultimate Scotsman, the story was that when he sold his Maghull house, he took everything including the light bulbs and the skirting boards.

 

[larbert toffee]

Great memories of Saint and Greavsie banter on Saturday lunchtimes - although used to hate them for using the '85 Whiteside cup final goal in the opening credits.... R.I.P

Was fortunate to speak to them during an interval of their roadshow up here in Falkirk about 1987, had a bit of banter with St after he'd asked who I supported, he swore like a trooper, great player, great character, RIP Ian St John.

 

[daza_1973]

Sad news, RIP

Just seen this, brilliant video from Bellefield in 84

Great banter - Imagine that happening nowadays?...
Me neither.

 

[Drico]

More innocent days.

As a broadcaster, I think Saint was underrated. He was a very good link man and host and while he played the straight man to Greavsie, he had a nice way with humour and friendly banter - when it was harmless fun rather than the toxic and insidious weapon it became in later years. Despite the "comedy" stylings of their show, Saint and Greavsie was actually an authoritative programme for its time and could be hard-hitting when it needed to be. Looking back, I think the Fantasy Football show on the BBC in the mid 90s was the turning point when humour descended into something altogether more dark.

 

[BigMick]

Scored a hat-trick on his RS debut - against us at Goodison. We won 4-3 but he proved to be a key signing for them in the Shankly era. Came back to haunt us when he scored the winner for Coventry in 71/2 in what was probably his last game at Goodison. Wasn't very tall but a good, intelligent player. Could look after himself as well!

He was good in his role as Greavesies' straight man and a better presenter than most ex-players.

 

[Togger Blue]

Scored a hat-trick on his RS debut - against us at Goodison. We won 4-3 but he proved to be a key signing for them in the Shankly era. Came back to haunt us when he scored the winner for Coventry in 71/2 in what was probably his last game at Goodison. Wasn't very tall but a good, intelligent player. Could look after himself as well!

He was good in his role as Greavesies' straight man and a better presenter than most ex-players.

I was a kid then, not at the game. I think it was a Liverpool Senior Cup Tie - the rs were in the 2nd Division at the time.

 

[mahermi1]

Sad loss, great player in his day, when the best teams had three or four Scottish players in them. Used to love Saint an Greavsie to. R.I.P.

 

[Alan Whittle]

A very good player, sharp around the box and intelligent team player. A good man as well. Known for his genial sense of humour he was at heart, an old fashioned football man who loved the game and those in it and around it.
Seeing that clip from Bellefield is a reminder of how different the game is now and how poorer we are for it
RIP Ian St. John.

 

[Dario Terracotta]

RIP Saint,different times back then, but better times I think.

 

[COYBL25]

Lived by us for years and was a proper part of the community. No airs or graces, he wasn’t flash and had time for everyone. His wife was the same too. Just lovely people.

One of the best after dinner speakers I’ve seen too.

Not often an ex RS player gets this type of respect on here, which says all you need to know about him as a man.

Top fella.

 

[PITA]

I was a kid then, not at the game. I think it was a Liverpool Senior Cup Tie - the rs were in the 2nd Division at the time.

I wish that they had stayed there.

 

[jtl60]

I used to love watching Saint and Greavsie, prior to them, football shows were all very prim and proper. I don't remember him as a player, but great personality, sadly missed

 

[consho]

Played against him a couple of times in charity matches ..he was a great supporter of worthwhile causes and a thoroughly decent human being .The last time I saw him was at Liverpool Cathedral when he paid his respects at the funeral of Dave Hickson. R I P Saint.

 

[degsy]

My pop had a lot of time for this fella as a footballer, and he hated most of them, so that will do for me.

Loved him with Jimmy Greaves on the telly as well.

Rip Ian St John.

This.
If we would've signed him instead of say, Young, he would've been almost as a big a legend for us.
He was a class act, which is why he's immortalised, even now in song.
Deep down we knew he was very, very good at what he did.
He may have played for liverpool - but wasn't a rs