I just saw this post on facebook. The reason I post it here is because not only do I remember Brain Laws being a top player for the Boro I used to sometimes get free passes into the 100 Club at Ayresome and free away tickets; my mate's dad got pally with him because he ran Blue Bell Garage - Laws got some crap freebie car like a Fiesta. I never met him but my mate got to know him quite well and said he was a top fella.
Nottingham Forest former team-mate Brian Laws on Roy Keane’s debut: “We were playing Liverpool away, and this young kid was sitting on the bus. Brian Clough would regularly take kids with us to get experience. I don't think anyone spoke to him - no one knew who he was. We got to Anfield and, as I thought, he was just pushing the skips into the dressing room and helping to put the kit out. Halfway through, he was putting the No 7 shirt out when Cloughie stopped him and said, 'Now, son, I want you to try that shirt on.' We all started laughing, and this poor lad was embarrassed. He reluctantly put it on, as though he wanted to get it off as quickly as possible. Cloughie said, 'You look a million dollars - you look so good, you're playing'. We still thought it was a wind-up, but he was deadly serious. He said to me, 'You look after him: he's playing right wing'. I thought, 'What? I'm playing against John Barnes, and now I've got a rookie playing in front of me?' I introduced myself. I didn't even know his name - I had to ask him. I said, 'Look, Roy, keep it simple and I'll try to talk you through it'. But within five minutes of kick-off, Roy had stamped on Barnes, taken out another player, and when John was on the floor he just went, 'F*** off' in his face. There were five minutes of me looking after Roy, then he looked after me for the rest of the game. He was like a rat up a drainpipe, all over the place. It can be frightening to go out there at Anfield, but he had no fear. He didn't care who he was playing against: he would have a go at them. What a debut.”
Nottingham Forest former team-mate Brian Laws on Roy Keane’s debut: “We were playing Liverpool away, and this young kid was sitting on the bus. Brian Clough would regularly take kids with us to get experience. I don't think anyone spoke to him - no one knew who he was. We got to Anfield and, as I thought, he was just pushing the skips into the dressing room and helping to put the kit out. Halfway through, he was putting the No 7 shirt out when Cloughie stopped him and said, 'Now, son, I want you to try that shirt on.' We all started laughing, and this poor lad was embarrassed. He reluctantly put it on, as though he wanted to get it off as quickly as possible. Cloughie said, 'You look a million dollars - you look so good, you're playing'. We still thought it was a wind-up, but he was deadly serious. He said to me, 'You look after him: he's playing right wing'. I thought, 'What? I'm playing against John Barnes, and now I've got a rookie playing in front of me?' I introduced myself. I didn't even know his name - I had to ask him. I said, 'Look, Roy, keep it simple and I'll try to talk you through it'. But within five minutes of kick-off, Roy had stamped on Barnes, taken out another player, and when John was on the floor he just went, 'F*** off' in his face. There were five minutes of me looking after Roy, then he looked after me for the rest of the game. He was like a rat up a drainpipe, all over the place. It can be frightening to go out there at Anfield, but he had no fear. He didn't care who he was playing against: he would have a go at them. What a debut.”
