http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/aug/26/small-talk-pat-nevin

Season ticket holder at Hibs?!!!

Some interesting insight. Claims he played the best football of his career at Everton, which I find hard to believe - can't ever remember him doing much up there.

Nice one. Still my all time favourite player.

Proper Chelsea legend and my favourite player from the John Neal era.

Bit surprised he got the Canoville bit wrong though, Paul's debut, the game at Selhurst, was two years before Pat joined us. I was at both games and if there was a bit of booing at the 84 game, can't remember if there was or not, it was nothing compared to Paul's debut which was one of the lowest points of my years supporting the club.

Bit surprised he got the Canoville bit wrong though, Paul's debut, the game at Selhurst, was two years before Pat joined us. I was at both games and if there was a bit of booing at the 84 game, can't remember if there was or not, it was nothing compared to Paul's debut which was one of the lowest points of my years supporting the club.

That's true. I wasn't at the Palace game but was there for his home debut as a sub a week or so later. He was abused mercilessly by hundreds/ thousands of our fans, and I was amazed by how calmly he seemed to take it. When I read his book it was clear that was far from the case and the abuse really traumatised him. As you say, that was a real low point in my decades as a Chelsea fan.

Nevin is correct, though, in claiming that him speaking out about it led to a big change and the abuse certainly stopped pretty quickly after he condemned it.

Good read that,thanks for posting it.

I suppose at 27-28, Pat thought that was the age he produced his best stuff,but the skills he showed for us were pretty speacial if my grey cells recollect.

He always had a way with words,does anyone remember his indie music column in the monthly bridge news paper?,Cocteau twins this,Cocteau Twins that,(whoever the f*ck they were?).

Also, for me, will be rememberd for the worst penalty I've ever seen at the Bridge,(against Man City in the Milk Cup in '85?,if I recollect correctly).

I know it was muddy and all that, but it was so badly struck,(with no run up whatsoever),that the city keeper could have dived the wrong way & still have had the time to pick himself up off the mud and dive the other way for the save,honestly,farking hilarous it was,even now.

Top bloke and a top fella.

I used to arrive early just to see Wee Pat warm up, I remember hin wearing sunglasses once.

Good read that,thanks for posting it.

I suppose at 27-28, Pat thought that was the age he produced his best stuff,but the skills he showed for us were pretty speacial if my grey cells recollect.

He always had a way with words,does anyone remember his indie music column in the monthly bridge news paper?,Cocteau twins this,Cocteau Twins that,(whoever the f*ck they were?).

Also, for me, will be rememberd for the worst penalty I've ever seen at the Bridge,(against Man City in the Milk Cup in '85?,if I recollect correctly).

I know it was muddy and all that, but it was so badly struck,(with no run up whatsoever),that the city keeper could have dived the wrong way & still have had the time to pick himself up off the mud and dive the other way for the save,honestly,farking hilarous it was,even now.

Top bloke and a top fella.

They were an Indie band from Grangemouth in Scotland, the founder member Robin Guthrie was my apprentice till he signed a record contract and told BP to ram his apprenticeship lol .... btw their music is not to my taste and he kept trying to get us to listen to it .... made it huge though

Bit surprised he got the Canoville bit wrong though, Paul's debut, the game at Selhurst, was two years before Pat joined us. I was at both games and if there was a bit of booing at the 84 game, can't remember if there was or not, it was nothing compared to Paul's debut which was one of the lowest points of my years supporting the club.

He might have been referring to amother game at Palace after he had joined us, because I think PC was still being booed in 84. Great article and I'm glad he pointed out that Celtic fans are at least as bad as Rangers when it comes to sectarianism. Too often the lefty press singles out the blue half of Glasgow, forgetting far worse crimes like not observing the minutes silence..

He might have been referring to amother game at Palace after he had joined us, because I think PC was still being booed in 84. Great article and I'm glad he pointed out that Celtic fans are at least as bad as Rangers when it comes to sectarianism. Too often the lefty press singles out the blue half of Glasgow, forgetting far worse crimes like not observing the minutes silence..

How were Canoville's last couple of seasons at Chelsea? He scored some quite important goals for the club, which you would think melted even the most racist supporters' hearts.

I think I'll have to buy myself a copy of "Black And Blue". I still have a hard time imagining how things must've been for him back then, it almost makes you sick to think about it. I guess it's pretty much impossible to get an idea of it if one wasn't there, especially not sharing any of those views personally.

It was some good stuff by Nevin, and I'm glad to see he brought up the Celtic aspect of sectarianism as well. It's more than often swept under the carpet, even though it's no more acceptable than the abuse from the blue side.