Post by Macmoish on Jan 18, 2011 10:10:45 GMT
Birmingham Mail (from couple of months ago)
Ex Aston Villa boss John Gregory sells treasured reg plate.
Nov 19 2010 by Paul Suart, Birmingham Mail
Aston Villa plate up for sale
A FAMOUS piece of Aston Villa memorabilia is up for grabs after former boss John Gregory decided to sell his V1LLA registration plate.
Gregory, who now manages Israeli Premier League side FC Ashdod, bought the plate for £40,000 in 2000, halfway through his four-year spell as manager.
The 56-year-old, who also played for Villa in the late 1970s, said: “Working and living in Israel, I don’t even get to drive my cars, let alone see the number plate
“I will always be a big Villa fan but I thought it was time for someone else to enjoy it as much as I have for the last nine years.”
The accessory is being sold on auction website eBay.
But the asking price of £39,000 appears to be putting people off with no bids received as of yesterday and the auction due to close tomorrow.
The plate, advertised with the strap line ‘Genuine V1LLA which looks exactly like VILLA’, is being sold by a seller using the name S7ew1g.
The advert reads: “A stunning number plate if you are a strong Aston Villa fan or Spanish property tycoon!
“Currently owned by Ex Aston Villa personnel. The plate is on retention ready for transfer. Serious bidders only please.”
Famously, former owner Doug Ellis accidentally crashed his Rolls Royce, with the number plate AV1, into Gregory’s similarly plated Range Rover in the Villa car park.
The auction was publicised in Villa’s matchday programme for the Manchester United clash last Saturday, under the headline, Villa On A Plate!
It read: “John Gregory’s number is up – but that doesn’t mean he is quitting football. He has simply decided to sell the club’s most famous number plate.”
Gregory joined Villa as a coaching assistant under Brian Little between 1994 and 1996. He rejoined in 1998 following a spell as manager of Wycombe Wanderers and led the team to an FA Cup final in 2000.
Read More www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2010/11/19/ex-aston-villa-boss-john-gregory-sells-treasured-reg-plate-97319-27676498/2/#ixzz1BNdjO6Vq
www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2010/11/19/ex-aston-villa-boss-john-gregory-sells-treasured-reg-plate-97319-27676498/