Barry John

[The Bloop]

Re: Barry John

Only one rugby player in history could have hung out and done photoshoots with George Best without appearing ludicrous. RIP Barry John �������������� pic.twitter.com/OMpq6ygRSy

— Graham Thomas (@Graham_Thomas) February 4, 2024

Thanks for that. I'm just a little too young too have seen either of them play in their prime, which is a shame.

[pipster]

Re: Barry John

....

Lived around the corner from me, would sit down for a pint with us whenever he was around - great company, loved telling a good story or 2, sad to see another legend go.

[Woosnam]

Re: Barry John

When I worked for Barclays Bank, I played for our district soccer team. When we played against Midland Bank (as it was then) we were surprised to see Barry John lining up against us - he worked for Forward Trust, a subsidiary of Midland Bank. He played in central midfield, and I can honestly say that he was equally as comfortable on a soccer pitch as a rugby field. We won the match 5-3 and he scored all three goals for Midland Bank, one of which was virtually from the half way line. He was terrific! RIP Barry!

[MacAdder]

Re: Barry John

Wonderfully gifted sportsman.

Unfortunately, like George Best, from an era where superstar players were not "looked after" from the mental pressures that came with their "gifts", the exact opposite to the modern day sportsman spending much of their post-sporting lives inside some boozer or other.

RIP Barry John, like GB a true legend of the game.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Barry John

How come Barry John and Gareth Edwards , both staunch west walians , played rugby for Cardiff instead of Llanelli , Swansea or Neath ?

A line from Jonathan Davies made me laugh ....

I was lucky . I got to know Barry John from a young age . We went to the same school. But obviously not at the same time .

[Jordi Culé]

Re: Barry John

How come Barry John and Gareth Edwards , both staunch west walians , played rugby for Cardiff instead of Llanelli , Swansea or Neath ?

A line from Jonathan Davies made me laugh ....

I was lucky . I got to know Barry John from a young age . We went to the same school. But obviously not at the same time .

Barry John did play for Llanelli before Cardiff. Think he had a teaching job in Cardiff so that was the that.

Didn't Gareth Edwards attended college in Cardiff.

Rugby still amateur at the time so both would've played where they could, easiest and cheapest for them.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Barry John

Barry John did play for Llanelli before Cardiff. Think he had a teaching job in Cardiff so that was the that.

Didn't Gareth Edwards attended college in Cardiff.

Rugby still amateur at the time so both would've played where they could, easiest and cheapest for them.

Yes they did (Gareth Edwards did a fortnight as a student teacher while I was in Waterhall school and picked me as captain of the "rest" against the school team because I knew all of the positions which related to what shirt number - he soon realised his mistake when he saw me play!).

During the seventies, London Welsh were, arguably, the best club side in Britain because, as you say, there were either young men whose studies took them to that city or there were some who were a bit older who went to London to work. From memory, JPR, Gerald Davies, John Dawes, John Taylor and Mervyn Davies all played for London Welsh up to the mid seventies and there were others like Jim Shanklin, Mike Roberts and Geoff Evans who were less regular members of the Wales team who played for them.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Barry John

Barry John did play for Llanelli before Cardiff. Think he had a teaching job in Cardiff so that was the that.

Didn't Gareth Edwards attended college in Cardiff.

Rugby still amateur at the time so both would've played where they could, easiest and cheapest for them.

Gareth Edwards went to millfield public school didn't he ?

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: Barry John

Yes they did (Gareth Edwards did a fortnight as a student teacher while I was in Waterhall school and picked me as captain of the "rest" against the school team because I knew all of the positions which related to what shirt number - he soon realised his mistake when he saw me play!).

During the seventies, London Welsh were, arguably, the best club side in Britain because, as you say, there were either young men whose studies took them to that city or there were some who were a bit older who went to London to work. From memory, JPR, Gerald Davies, John Dawes, John Taylor and Mervyn Davies all played for London Welsh up to the mid seventies and there were others like Jim Shanklin, Mike Roberts and Geoff Evans who were less regular members of the Wales team who played for them.

I wonder if the Welsh side in the 2000s under various guises who won more grand slams and triple crowns than Barry John's era ? ......I could be wrong .....will be held in the same esteem as the seventies sides ?

[MacAdder]

Re: Barry John

I wonder if the Welsh side in the 2000s under various guises who won more grand slams and triple crowns than Barry John's era ? ......I could be wrong .....will be held in the same esteem as the seventies sides ?

I think it is a generational thing.

People who do not remember the teams of the 70's will have their own memories of Welsh "greats".

For example Scott Gibbs. He would have got into any team in the world in his pomp, including New Zealand, and who can forget "that" try in 99 at Wembley?

Also, sport on TV, at that time there were only 3 channels and the 5 nations games shown live.
The players of that era were household names.

[Wales-Bales]

Re: Barry John

I think it is a generational thing.

People who do not remember the teams of the 70's will have their own memories of Welsh "greats".

For example Scott Gibbs. He would have got into any team in the world in his pomp, including New Zealand, and who can forget "that" try in 99 at Wembley?

Also, sport on TV, at that time there were only 3 channels and the 5 nations games shown live.
The players of that era were household names.

Rugby was more a game of skill in the 70's, and the players weren't as pumped up compared to the modern day.

[MacAdder]

Re: Barry John

Rugby was more a game of skill in the 70's, and the players weren't as pumped up compared to the modern day.

I know what you mean. Rugby has evolved and not for the better in many people's eyes.

Although I would say that there have been a number of good Welsh players who have still managed to bring their skills into the modern era and make the game watchable.

Gibbs being one of those, Shane Williams another.
Jonathan Davies made a massive success of going up north in what is considered and accepted a much tougher code.

Younger people will mention these before BJ, Gareth Edwards, JPR et al.

As has been said before on many occasions, it is nigh on impossible to distinguish who was better than another if they were from different eras but BJ has been hailed by many as the best of his.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: Barry John

I know what you mean. Rugby has evolved and not for the better in many people's eyes.

Although I would say that there have been a number of good Welsh players who have still managed to bring their skills into the modern era and make the game watchable.

Gibbs being one of those, Shane Williams another.
Jonathan Davies made a massive success of going up north in what is considered and accepted a much tougher code.

Younger people will mention these before BJ, Gareth Edwards, JPR et al.

As has been said before on many occasions, it is nigh on impossible to distinguish who was better than another if they were from different eras but BJ has been hailed by many as the best of his.

Does the fact that good quality video is available of the players from the seventies mean it is easier to judge them than it was for older generations? All we had was a few poor quality films that made it look very easy for someone like Dixie Dean to score his sixty goals..Once you got to the fifties, the picture quality improves, but I’ve seen films of England 3 Hungary 6 and the Matthews Final and the standard doesn’t look great.

[NottinghamBlue]

Re: Barry John

RIP Barry John. One of the greatest players that I was lucky enough to see play.

[splott parker]

Re: Barry John

Does the fact that good quality video is available of the players from the seventies mean it is easier to judge them than it was for older generations? All we had was a few poor quality films that made it look very easy for someone like Dixie Dean to score his sixty goals..Once you got to the fifties, the picture quality improves, but I’ve seen films of England 3 Hungary 6 and the Matthews Final and the standard doesn’t look great.

Is there any sport where standards and performance hasn’t improved? Even ‘sports’ like darts & snooker players get better & better. Obviously track & field improve, boxers, hmmm, not so sure on that. Have racehorses become faster? It’s the age old argument, until time travel happens, we’ll never find out…….Dear God, imagine being a time traveller and ending up stuck forever in the Alan Durban days, at least the lean ‘30s had a 9-2 v Thames to savour:hehe: