MAN OF STEEL, Gerry Gow
"Look at him son, look at his cold dead eyes, it's like a Pit Bull eying up the photographers leg".
If only a man like Gerry Gow was still playing today to act as role model for todays cosseted youth brought up on suspect body shaving metrosexuals like Man USA's Ronaldo. There's someone you know would go down clutching his face if a five month old baby farted within a quarter of a mile of the blo ……well he's just not a proper bloke is he? Look at the supposed stars of today would you really want your children to model themselves on them while scuffing trainers chasing a
ball ? No, you would want a positive role model for your offspring and that man would be Gow the glorious Warrior of Glasgow and honorary Wurzel for life.
Throughout my formative years I watched Gow turn from a player with a poor first touch but a uncrushable will to a man who should have left his mark in more ways than one on the international stage other than a solitary under 23's Scottish cap. Others may have admired the likes of Mabbutt and his cheer leading groupies but I wanted more from a hero, I wanted blood, I wanted somebody you just knew could fight like ten men. Every fan thinks their players are harder or they have a player in their clubs history who could have fought tanks naked armed only with a club. Gerry Gow was that man at a time when one Norman "bites yer legs" Hunter was at the club only Norman just knew that Gow was numero uno in the hard stakes at the Gate.
It was not all whiplash tackles with intermittent scathing lunges though Gerry could play a bit and Gows game really did come on but it was always the spirit that caught the eye. Gerry was a relatively small man but complete with wild hair, handle bar moustache, sinewy frame and that stare the whole package screamed
"I AM A RAVING BAMPOT MIDFIELD IS MINE!
Miles upon miles were ran every game, no tackles shirked, ball won then shifted on, a constant shining example of honest endeavour often in the face of lost causes as City struggled constantly to stay in the first division. Many suggest it was Hunter who really made the difference to keep City up, but it is undeniable that City would have been hard pushed to find a superior alternative to protect the back four than Gow the glorious Warrior of Glasgow.
By the time it was all over Gerry had toiled away from 1969 to 1980 playing four hundred and forty six times and scoring a more than decent fifty nine goals. What those figures do not reveal though is the impact on minds and opponents Gow made. Maybe they should read Midfields dominated hundreds and in a game still full of true hard men a reputations vanquished section could have been added.
Gerrys mad mane then moved on for £175, 000 brought to Manchester City by John Bond where he enjoyed his finest moment of his career v Spurs in the 1981 FA Cup final at Wembley. I can still see the plough chinned Jimmy Hill labelling Gow's performance a disgrace but failing to add that Spurs midfield had failed to perform due to the tenacity of one Gerry Gow. True Gerry did give away the free kick that led to Spurs equaliser but Gow was the most effective player on the pitch shackling the supposedly superior Spurs midfield. Gow's stay at Maine road also saw Granada's tv reportedly basing a programme called 'The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams' on the great man. Gerry played thirty six times for Man City before moving on but left enough of a mark for the word "legend" to be bandied around and make it into Ian Penneys- The Legends of Manchester City book.
Next up for Gerry was Millmoor and Rotherham where Emlyn Hughes signed Gow for £75,000 who then marked his debut with a sending off. By the time Gerry left after fifty eight games his signing had been hailed as inspirational and Gerry is looked upon as being one of the finest and of course maddest central midfield players ever to play for the Millers.
Lesser men have had statues or stands named in their memory at Ashton Gate all we have really are memories of the a man. So Gow Man of steel i salute you once more,
"HE'S THERE, HE'S THERE, HE'S EVERY F*CKING WHERE, GERRY GOW, GERRY GOW!
