So farewell then...

[dahamsta]

Finally. Vile creature right up there with the Nazi leadership in terms of the death, destruction and hatred he caused.

[tetsujin1979]

Anthony Bourdain put it best
960322190993477632

[pineapple stu]

Shane MacGowan (https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2023/1130/1419329-pogues-frontman-shane-macgowan-dies-aged-65/), as we come into the time of year that he's never off the radio.

[seanfhear]

A maybe not so well song from Shane McGowan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNtQ5AnRlz8

[tetsujin1979]

The welcome party will be bibilical.
RIP.

[seanfhear]

Apparently Shane McGowan kicked Henry Kissinger in to the empty lift-shaft to hell as he was passing Kissinger ! !

[SkStu]

RIP Shane. My wife and I both almost in tears when it came on the news here this morning.

A Rainy Night In Soho holds special memories for the two of us.


The welcome party will be bibilical.
RIP.

I'm picturing Fiesta as the party song. :)

[pineapple stu]

One from last month actually - Bobby Welch, the last of the Great Train Robbers to pass away (https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/last-surviving-member-great-train-31348320), aged 94.

[John83]

Rolling Stone not pulling any punches on Kissinger. Anyone curious why he's so utterly reviled in some circles, they do a decent job of explaining it.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/henry-kissinger-war-criminal-dead-1234804748/

I like the Bourdain quote from earlier, but my favourite quote about Kissinger is Tom Lehrer's. He said that political satire was dead the day Kissinger won his Nobel Peace Prize.

[OwlsFan]

A few days late but she deserves a mention: Rosemary Smith as a pioneer of women's sport.

[dahamsta]

Andre Braugher, best know for Captain Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, aged 61.

[Eminence Grise]

Gone through the magic door for the last time, Frank Twomey (https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-41287807.html).

[OwlsFan]

Ron Clifford. 9/11 survivor but whose sister and niece were in the plane which almost killed him. He appears on many of the documentaries about 9/11 https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2023/1216/1422360-ron-clifford/

[Crosby87]

Wow Lads you've all been letting this thread slide?

Surprised no one mentioned Tom Wilkinson, Tommy Smothers, Gil De Ferran etc as 2024 beckoned.

[CraftyToePoke]

Because we've all been blind drunk or in food comas since on or about Owlys 18.12 post till the day before yesterday to an extent we're lucky we aren't mentioned on the thread ourselves Crosby me laddo.

[pineapple stu]

Glynnis Johns, Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins, aged 100. The oldest living Academy Award nominee at the time of her death.

[seanfhear]

Glynnis Johns, Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins, aged 100. The oldest living Academy Award nominee at the time of her death.
Popped her clogs as it were !

[SkStu]

Glynnis Johns, Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins, aged 100. The oldest living Academy Award nominee at the time of her death.

Interesting tidbit. Next up appears to be Eva Marie Saint. Quite the fox in the day actually.

On another note, Mike Sadler, the last SAS guy who is also a character in Rogue Heroes (which I love), died the other day aged 104. Fought under the infamous Paddy Mayne “The Irish Lion” who fought for the Brits and played rugby for Ireland and the Lions.

[pineapple stu]

And another person who got a good innings - Henry Sandon, who died aged 95 on Christmas Day. Pottery expert on the Antiques Roadshow for years, succeeded by his son. (Don't tell me you don't watch it!)

[pineapple stu]

Yet another good innings - Mario Zagallo, aged 92.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67900776

Manager of the great Brazil 1970 team. Pele's teammate in 1958. Later was assistant manager for Brazil when they won the 1994 World Cup and manager in the 98 run to the final. Incredible career.

Wiki says he was even on the pitch for the 1950 "final" as a soldier providing security - so first-hand he got six finals (62 as well)

[pineapple stu]

Two days later, Franz Beckenbauer joins him. Two of the three men who've won the World Cup as a player and a manager, gone in the space of a couple of days.

Deschamps will be minding himself about now I'm sure...

[seanfhear]

Two days later, Franz Beckenbauer joins him. Two of the three men who've won the World Cup as a player and a manager, gone in the space of a couple of days.

Deschamps will be minding himself about now I'm sure...Der Kaiser falls.

[OwlsFan]

Have to mention David Soul, of Starsky and Hutch fame who went to the copshop in the sky a few days back and Annie Nighingale, one of the first female DJs https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/11990526/annie-nightingale-dead-bbc-radio-updates/

[OwlsFan]

Jack Jennings, believed to be the last British survivor to have worked on the Burma railway as a POW of the Japanese https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Jennings_(veteran)

Tommy Baldwin, former Chelsea footballer.

[Crosby87]

RIP Carl Weathers. Apollo Creed, et Al

[OwlsFan]

Ian Lavender, last survivor of Dad's Army, and John Bruton https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2024/02/06/a-deeply-committed-politician-president-higgins-leads-tributes-to-former-taoiseach-john-bruton/

[OwlsFan]

Former presenter of Top of The Tops and BBC DJ Steve Wright

[SkStu]

Not sure who here has watched the documentary but this is some really sad news and a dark day. Alexei Navalny.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-68316979?src_origin=BBCS_BBC

[John83]

The fella was as good as dead the day he returned to Russia. This was always coming.

[dahamsta]

Not so quickly though. They assassinated him with hard labour. On Putin's orders. Get him out of the way before the "election" to avoid any interference whatsoever, with a soupcon of "this is what happens" into the bargain for the general public.

America is next. The Brits will probably pause now for a few years, but Starmer is hardly going to change Britain. I wouldn't be even a tiny bit surprised if those idiots ended up with Farage in charge.

[OwlsFan]

Not so quickly though. They assassinated him with hard labour. On Putin's orders. Get him out of the way before the "election" to avoid any interference whatsoever, with a soupcon of "this is what happens" into the bargain for the general public.

America is next. The Brits will probably pause now for a few years, but Starmer is hardly going to change Britain. I wouldn't be even a tiny bit surprised if those idiots ended up with Farage in charge.

Well both USA Presidential candidates could die sooner rather than later and it would have nothing to do with gulags !

[pineapple stu]

Andy Brehme, aged 63.

Scored the winner in the first World Cup I watched (Italia 90).

[NeverFeltBetter]

So soon after Beckenbauer too, who managed that side. I recall reading that Mattheus was meant to be taking the penalties, but he had new boots on for the final and didn't trust them for the job (I suppose he might have just lost his nerve, but that seems unlikely with Mattheus). It was a good penalty too, one of the few decent bits of skill in an otherwise awful game.

[seanfhear]

Andy Brehme, aged 63.

Scored the winner in the first World Cup I watched (Italia 90).Young Man by todays standards ( to die )

Good penalty ~ Disappointing final overall ~ Decent enough championship finals overall but was it after this that FIFA decide to make it 3 points for a win and do away with the goalkeeper being able to pick up the back-pass ~ So, Obviously FIFA must have reckoned that the entertainment of the product had to be improved.

[pineapple stu]

It was a good penalty too, one of the few decent bits of skill in an otherwise awful game.
He took it right-footed even though he was a naturally left-footed player too. Seems he figured his left foot was for power and his right was for precision. He'd taken a peno left-footed in the shoot-out against Mexico four years earlier.

[SkStu]

Himself and Matthaus were the stereotypical ruthless, robotic German destroying machines. Struck the fear of god into me in 86, 88 and 90. The penalty will be remembered but lets not forget the goal he got against England (deflection made it even more satisfying to this then 13 year old). In fact, he scored a lot of goals and had the ultimate blemmer of a shot if i recall correctly. RIP.

[seanfhear]

He took it right-footed even though he was a naturally left-footed player too. Seems he figured his left foot was for power and his right was for precision. He'd taken a peno left-footed in the shoot-out against Mexico four years earlier.
German efficiency ~ He was an important player in that team ~ I would say a leader within the team.

[seanfhear]

Himself and Matthaus were the stereotypical ruthless, robotic German destroying machines. Struck the fear of god into me in 86, 88 and 90. The penalty will be remembered but lets not forget the goal he got against England (deflection made it even more satisfying to this then 13 year old). In fact, he scored a lot of goals and had the ultimate blemmer of a shot if i recall correctly. RIP.
Is that the one that deflected / spin-ed in over Peter Shilton ~ I always thought that Shilton should have probably saved that one ( if I am thinking of the same goal ) ~ Shilton probably played on a bit too long for England, but was there anyone good enough to push him out ?

I actually saw Peter Shilton in London a few years ago ~ He was not that big for a goalkeeper but of course he probably has reduced a bit in size as he has got older ( like us all ) ~ He was a great goalkeeper in his hay-day ~ I would say that the average size of a goalkeeper in the top divisions in England in the 70's / 80's /90's would be a couple of inches smaller on average in comparison to todays goalkeepers.

[pineapple stu]

Shilton probably played on a bit too long for England, but was there anyone good enough to push him out ?
Chris Woods was backup and took over from him. Always struck me as strange even then that the Rangers keeper would be England's number 1

David Seaman and Dave Beasant were also at Italia 90 (Beasant replaced Seaman when he was injured in training) but Seaman wouldn't really have been challenging for number 1 in the 80s (though he made his debut then)

[OwlsFan]

Don't mention Chris Woods !

Ewen MacIntosh - British actor and comedian, known for his role as Keith Bishop in the original UK series of "The Office" (2001–2003). He also appeared in other shows such as "After Life", "Little Britain" and "Miranda," as well as in films like "The Lobster" and "Big Fat Gypsy Gangster." passed away at the age of 50.

[SkStu]

Fred Elliott from Corrie, i say, Fred Elliott from Corrie has passed away aged 86. John Savident, RIP.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68380093

[SkStu]

Richard Lewis from Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry David’s tribute to him on Twitter was pretty touching.

1762963342140809382

[OwlsFan]

Charlie Bird https://www.independent.ie/regionals/louth/drogheda-news/charlie-birds-inspiring-louth-visit-recalled-as-former-rte-journalist-loses-brave-mnd-battle/a1981049285.html

[pineapple stu]

That's very sad - motor neuron is a really horrible thing. Think I saw an interview with him only a week or two ago?

Also last week - Tony Green from Bullseye ("Iiiiiiiin One"), aged 85.

[Crosby87]

You lads of a certain 80s vintage like myself a will surely mourn Eric Carmen. His eyes were hungry. And a good woman could make him lose control.

Saw the raspberries open for KISS at MSG at some point. Good times?

[OwlsFan]

You lads of a certain 80s vintage like myself a will surely mourn Eric Carmen. His eyes were hungry. And a good woman could make him lose control.

Saw the raspberries open for KISS at MSG at some point. Good times?

"All by myself or yourself ?" Can't remember :)

[Crosby87]

Its funny, I always thought that was Michael Bolton

[pineapple stu]

Paul Alexander, age 78 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Alexander_(polio_survivor)). Never heard of him, but seems he was paralysed by polio in 1952 and was living in an iron lung ever since. He had to teach himself to breathe independently but still could never fully leave the lung. Despite that, he picked up a law degree and was called to the bar.

There's only one other person on an iron lung in the US it seems - Martha Lillard, who contracted polio in 1953 age 5. The polio vaccine was introduced in 1955 (though the 1956 All-Ireland finals were postponed here because of a polio epidemic)

[OwlsFan]

Rose Dugdale, the daughter of an English millionaire who became an IRA activist during "the troubles".https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Dugdale

Emmet Stagg, Labour Politician who caused a bit of a furore back in the day when he was caught loitering in an area frequently by male prostitutes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmet_Stagg

[seanfhear]

Rose Dugdale, the daughter of an English millionaire who became an IRA activist during "the troubles".https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_Dugdale

Emmet Stagg, Labour Politician who caused a bit of a furore back in the day when he was caught loitering in an area frequently by male prostitutes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmet_Stagg
What a bizarre world we live in ! !