I bet that Badiel and Skinner look back and wish they could turn the clock back and do this interview again with these greats. So much Football history, RIP Saint and Greavie
From Ian St John's autobiography. "I think both of us regretted the experience. Neither Skinner nor Baddiel came to us before the show to say hello and give us some idea of what they were doing. We were simply the vehicles for what could only be described as an elaborate effort to put us down. Greavsie got so irritated he uttered a few expletives. You wonder about the point, and the right of them to sneer at men who have got to the top of the national game by their talent and their effort."
St John must have known the format of the programme as it was hugely popular at the time. Did he really think that going on a show that had been running parody sketches of him for some time would not take the piss? He should have known better. You either laugh at yourself, or don't go on. Silly man.
Jimmy came across really well, as did Frank who several times appeared to show his respect for what they did on TV and gratitude to them fkr coming on the show.
When greavsies says " Although I've already been on your show, and you've taken the piss out of me enough" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 what a legend on and off the pitch!!!
He won over the audience immediately. Brilliant comment. He was the star and constantly kept turning their jokes back on them! Saint seemed to be a bit distant, clearly offended by Skinner/Baddiel not meeting them beforehand. Probably justified.
Interesting watching this with the benefit of hindsight. Baddiel and Skinner in their prime with Saint and Greavsie seemingly old codgers from the past. However most people now of Skinners generation yearn for the time of Saint and Greavsie now, where football was less serious and definitely more exciting. About the show, Ian St John doesent seem that bad but it's interesting that when they have a go back - such as when they introduced the bit about Gay footballers - Greavsie totally turned it back on them. However the two presenters didnt see the funny side bizarrely, maybe because they intended to use the Greavsie photo in a negative way. Skinner did shoe horn it in, but Greavsie got one over on them. I like Skinner and he seems to treat them with the respect they deserve, but as for David Baddiel, he has no clue and it makes me wonder if he's a 'plastic fan' of football with no reverance to the people who made it good in the first place. I wonder if Skinner and Baddiel went on a young and hip show these days, whether they would be as accepting as Saint and Greavsie was.
As if people are moaning. This show was great in its day. Greavsie smiling all the way through what a legend. Just a light hearted show about football they're not going to start doing in depth interviews on their careers. The respect was clearly there. People need to lighten up
Imagine having the opportunity to do a TV interview with Jimmy Greaves (England's greatest striker and most affable sportsperson ever) and you fill most of the time with this crap, even interrupting StJ & G at the end with total piss. I'd say credit to them for getting them (& Walter Bahr) on the show at least, except that they really had no idea what to do with them.
Totally agree. Saint & Greavsie were footballing legends and switched to TV seamlessly. Take the piss fine, but once they start storytelling, let them finish.
I don't think Greavsie had a problem with Fantasy Football, as he'd already recorded a Phoenix in which he brought up the past jokes they'd made about him. If he'd had an issue with it, he wouldn't have agreed to go on the show as a guest. He was up for it, and had fun with it. Saint was the one who was really uncomfortable, as you can tell.
It seems Frank and David held more respect for Gazza in the later episode than Greavsie and the Saint which says something. They could of talked about the game of football like they did with Gazza.
That's a very good point. Almost as if they don't really know just how big Jimmy Greaves was. It says a lot, as you say, that they'd treat Gazza with more respect than St J & Greaves.
I don't think either of them looked that uncomfortable. I thought Skinner was a bit ignorant at the end, cutting Saint off when he was saying he met the American guy who scored the goal
Ian said in his book that the boys didnt meet them beforehand to explain the show, however I worked in TV for a while and I can say its perfectly normal for hosts to not meet guests prior to appearing in order to keep the meeting fresh with the 'first time' feel. The producer or assistant will usually meet and greet the guests instead so im sure Saint and greavsie were fully briefed on what the show was, otherwise it was silly to appear on a show they claim they knew nothing about! Greasvsie knew them as he appeared before but Ian seems a bit sour and in bad spirits, probably because they cut off his story at the end but that wasnt Frank, that was the director and it appeared Ian's story wasnt going anywhere, he said he met the american footballer and thats that.
Saint and Greavsie were a Classic pairing together. Funny and very entertaining weekly Football magazine show. Both Football legends. Baddiel and Skinner were only ever unfunny talentless bums, neither of them ever made me laugh.
I think many are missing the point here. It's not a case of Saint or Greavsie being miserable old farts and not realising what the Fantasy Football show was all about. It's about on the one side you have two of the best ever Footballers from Britain, I mean Saint was the first big signing Shankly made for Liverpool along with Taylor and it transformed the club. And Jimmy was Englands best ever striker. And across on the other couch, you have two very mediocre stand ups, trying to get cheap laughs from an audience of braying idiots.
It's hard to understand why Ian St John took it so badly. There was probably a generation clash, in that he probably didn't get their humour particularly, but I struggle to see anything all that objectionable. I don't think they were disrespected at all, a bit of banter but Skinner & Baddiel were clearly on their side and in awe of them. Saint & Greavsie didn't look offended by anything, they seemed to be having a good laugh. And it was the shortest guest spot, it only lasted 7 minutes, so it's not like it was some painful drawn out experience for them. I can understand that it might not have been a stand out career highlight for them, but it's not anything at all really.
Saint John really did hold such an high opinion of himself and talked some crap about liverpool players in the 90s and early 00s wasn't most liked of ex LFC players. Greavsie was always up for a laugh and never took things to seriously.
he seemed to be having a laugh, only from his autobiography would you know he didnt enjoy it, but watching it, it looks like he did have a decent time AT worst !
