As a lifelong Chelsea fan, it doesn't exactly sit easy with me to have to pay tribute to a former Manchester United player. However, I am old enough to remember Greenhoff, a better than average striker, who notched 26 goals for united in 97 games between 1976-1980. Manchester's Billy Ruffian seem to have taken his move to Crewe Alexandria rather hard though, resulting in one of the best footie Christmas songs ever recorded (granted this is a field with limited number of contenders)!
Billy Ruffian released their debut album My Secret Life* on Filthy Little Angels in 2007 and have played, split, reformed on and off since. In 2013, they self-released their second album 10 Greatest Hits.
*I really liked Jason Graham's review in Music Towers, which included this evocative passage: 'Musically rounded by fizzy guitars that sound like sirens, heavy bass lines and occasional brass section accompaniments, song writing that is true and has an end product that often sounds like a mash of The Fall and Roxy Music on a budget fronted by Frank Sidebottom or at least his best friend at school'.
Swirling goth-rock from the big voice behind '90s outfit Sunshine Blind, featuring a who's-who of dark underground denizens. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 31, 2020
The enigmatic Frank Ene's solo record lives in a magical world where Serge Gainsbourg fronts Yellow Magic Orchestra. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 17, 2022