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'Who is this Mr Blobby?' - The bizarre Aston Villa clash that sparked moment of genius

-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


The international break is a great time for looking back into the archives and in this article we remember when John Gregory branded David Ginola 'Mr Blobby' in December 2000 and how the French winger replied.

THE CONTEXT

Ginola struggled to consistently recapture his best Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United form in the claret and blue of Villa. Fitness issues stopped him from getting into his stride following his £3 million move to Villa Park in July 2000.

It came to a head ahead of the Premiership match at home to Manchester City on December 16 2000, when Gregory accused him of being overweight.

WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?


The 33-year-old Frenchman started against Man City and inspired Villa to twice come from behind to draw 2-2 against Joe Royle's men. First he set up Dion Dublin to equalise after Alf Inge Haaland had put City in front, then, after Paulo Wanchope restored the visitors' lead, he smashed in an exquisite late leveller with a half volley.

It was his celebrations that made the biggest statements, however. For Dublin's goal he used his hands to gesture a big belly, and for his strike he whipped off his shirt to reveal a rippling six-pack. Predictably, he was booked by referee Andy D'Urso, who also sent off Lee Hendrie late on.

THE MATCH

Villa 2, Man City 2

Teams

Aston Villa: James; Alpay, Southgate, Barry (Delaney 62); Stone, Boateng, Hendrie, A Wright; Merson, Ginola; Dublin. Subs not used: Staunton, de Bilde, Samuel, Enckelman. Booked: Ginola, Stone. Sent off: Hendrie.

Manchester City: Weaver; Charvet, Dunne, Howey, Tiatto; Wright-Phillips, Haaland, Whitley, Horlock (Wiekens 72); Wanchope, Goater (Kennedy 60). Subs not used: Prior, Dickov, T Wright. Booked: Wanchope.

Referee: A D'Urso (Billericay).

Attendance: 29,281

Goals: Haaland 65, Dublin 71, Wanchope, 73, Ginola 86.

WHAT GINOLA SAID

Asked for a comment afterwards, he snapped: "No - I'm too fat."

WHAT THE BOSS SAID

John Gregory

"His goal wasn't an answer to me, he just wanted to show off his nice slim figure afterwards. He looked alright. He asked me 'Who is this Mr Blobby?' I don't think he knew what I was on about. Through no fault of his own, he is short of match fitness - but this display proves that he's getting there. He was superb in the second half and his display livened us up.

It was also a very good goal and, while I stand by what I said about his weight, he is getting back to match fitness, although he's had problems in doing that. He had a poor pre-season because of all the transfer negotiations and he wasn't helped by an injury he got with us. That stopped him training properly but he's getting there, so hopefully this will be the start of something.”

Gregory on Ginola's booking

"I can't believe he was booked for taking his shirt off. I suppose its mandatory to book players for that but I think the decision to caution David Ginola was pathetic. It seems in this country everything's decided by stuffed shirts. Elsewhere in the world, players celebrate by taking their shirts off.

I was at a game in South America last weekend when all 11 removed their shirts to celebrate a goal. Mr D'Urso was probably the only one of 30,000 who was unhappy with Ginola's celebrations - I certainly couldn't see anything wrong with it.”

READ MORE: 'Does your missus know you're here?' The amazing Villa transfer U-turn

WHAT HIS TEAM-MATES SAID

Paul Merson

“The boss got David Ginola going and it has worked. I think that is why he said it. He has started him off, he scored a goal, set one up, he did alright today, so it worked in that respect. David is fit, very, he is much fitter than me, much. He beats me all the time in training, he is much quicker than me.

He got hammered for all the stuff on Saturday morning. He has been slaughtered. He is not the best at taking it but that is OK, he is alright. The lads have been calling him Mr Blobby, we were saying he would eat the full-back for breakfast and all that.”

WHAT THE FANS SAID

What a laugh! On the rare occasion David Ginola manages to wear a Villa shirt for 90 minutes of toil he rips it off to celebrate a goal and gets a yellow card. My advice to this fancy Frenchman is this: Keep your shirt on and earn your inflated pay packet. If his gesture was to disprove his manager's claim that he is too fat, I'm not sure he succeeded. B RANDALL Hollywood

HOW WE REPORTED IT

Leon Hickman, Birmingham Mail

Ginola just had to reply. Mildly criticised by John Gregory for surplus avoirdupois, the Frenchman spoke in every fans language, improving minute by minute and, strangely unmarked late in the game, flipped and twirled, strutted and sashayed as if born for the catwalk. Clearly, the manager had been on an outrageous wind-up and, equally clearly, Ginola fell for it.

His 30-yard half-volleyed equaliser should, perhaps, have been stopped by goalkeeper Nicky Weaver, but it was snakingly struck and rectified the injustice of the scoreline. The Frenchman, whose contribution this season has so far summoned up visions of Didier Six, scored ten out of ten for his second half performance and to show he meant it stripped off his shirt and gestured to Gregory at his six-pack ribs.

HOW THE OTHER PRESS REPORTED IT


The Sun: What was that about it not being over until the fat boy sings? David Ginola certainly fancied having the last word, anyway. Not, it has to be said, that he looks as if he is carrying as much timber as his manager seems to think.

Now, in the interests of accurate research-AND FOR NO OTHER REASON-I took a long, hard look at Ginola minus his shirt on Saturday. Le Blob sported a six-pack stomach and muscles in all the right places. He really did.

Independent: It was a deeply unseemly business at Aston Villa, where David Ginola felt obliged to refute charges of unfitness from his manager, John Gregory, by stripping away his shirt. Ginola has always been, for my taste, a player you can take or leave depending on your value system.

Daily Mirror: Doug Ellis must be expecting Noel Edmonds to pop up at any time with the Gotcha Oscar he surely deserves. Mr Blobby is already on the scene causing havoc wherever he roams while the walls of his famous house are collapsing around his ears.

Quick-witted Gregory revealed his fears about Ginolas waistline only for the fired-up Frenchman to score his first goal for Villa and tear of his shirt to reveal a rippling six-pack. The manager deserves a fat reward for his unusual words of motivation.

Telegraph: It was about time David Ginola brought his weight to bear on Aston Villas goal-scoring predicament. The pounds that were accumulating on his body were becoming as much a talking point as the pounds that were accumulating in the clubs bank account.

The Frenchman could not wait to peel off his colours and parade his maligned muscles, but the vital statistics are that this is only the second time he has completed 90 minutes for Villa. Ginola's goal belatedly balanced the scales, and his naughty strip to his offending waistline earned him a mandatory booking. No vest for the wicked.

Daily Star: Friend and foe alike credited John Gregory with a managerial masterstroke to bring the best out of David “Mr Blobby” Ginola. But there will be thin times ahead for Villa unless their boss can find a solution to the many problems weighing down the famous club. Gregory claimed French ace Ginola hadn't understood his pre-match criticism.

He had called the 33-year-old under-achieving Frenchman overweight and accused him of “carrying a bit of timber”. But Ginola understood alright. Asked for a comment afterwards, he snapped: “No - I'm too fat.”

Daily Express: The day David Ginola got shirty might just save Aston Villa chairman Doug Ellis's season. Le Magnificent One did not like it when his manager, John Gregory, said he was a bit fat. When he crossed and put the ball on Dion Dublin's head for Villas first equaliser, Ginola stood in front of team-mate Paul Merson and drew in the air the belly fat of a nine-months pregnant woman.

When he saved the game with his first Villa goal five minutes from time, Ginola whipped off his shirt (and a white vest underneath, it was after all a cold day) and paraded his duty-free French six pack for all the world to see.

Guardian: This was pantomime with a rare sub-plot. Thanks to some improvisation from “Monsieur Blobby”, it all ended happily - not ever after but at least for now. Cue the Frenchman, determined to show he is worth his weight in gold, especially as Gregory had accused him of being overweight.

Ginola unleashed a 20-yard volley past Nicky Weaver and stripped off his shirt in celebration to show off a magnificent torso. It was wonderful theatre but the man in black, Andy D'Urso, played it by the book, issuing the mandatory yellow card.

WHAT THE OPPOSITION MADE OF IT


Man City captain Alf Inge Haaland

“Gregory obviously got the reaction he wanted. I think that is good management. He is looking for a reaction from a player after saying something like that. Unfortunately for us, he got it. Ginola is a really good player. He made the first equaliser and scored the second. You have to hold up your hands to that.”

WHAT ELSE WAS GOING ON?

The match was played against a backdrop of fan unrest at Villa Park. The claret and blue faithful accused Ellis of a lack of ambition and made their feelings known. Ellis banned banners from the ground, but several slipped through, including: “Ellis you are the weakest link - goodbye!”, while supporters chanted for the chairman's removal throughout a dull first half.

It had been prompted by goalkeeper David James handing in a transfer request. Ellis left before the end because of a prior appointment. Gregory's damning attack on Ellis, accusing him of being stuck in a 'timewarp' was soon to follow.

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It was Villa's fourth successive draw and they went on to finish eighth, while Man City were relegated. Ginola went on to score twice more that season, in draws against West Ham and Charlton Athletic. He left to join Everton on a free in February 2002, having made 19 starts, 22 substitute appearances and scored five goals in total for Villa.