Former No1 Fanzine editor Wee George has passed away

[CammyF 9,766]

Just read the sad news on FF that George McGhee, aka The Entertaining Apprentice, former editor of Number One Fanzine, has passed away.

 

George was a true gentleman and a brilliant person with a sharp wit that came through whenever you read the fanzine. 

 

Spent many an hour speaking with George at the JG statue before games or any time I bumped into him. 

 

Hadn't seen George recently, think the last time I spoke to him was at the Motherwell playoff game but heard he'd retired and was helping out an old pal with his kitchen fitting business. 

 

Halftime, tea-time, anytime, here's your No1 Fanzine. 

 

Rest Easy George. 

Edited 10 hours ago by CammyF

[Devil's advocaat 1,988]

Sad news, never knew George, but loved the No1, I used to grab it from the wee news outlet at Springburn station in my days at the mental asylum also known as north Glasgow college.

[Gonzo79 15,647]

I think I only read No.1 when other folk on my supporters bus had it (my dad only bought Follow Follow and I was never really into carrying things around at matches) but always remember seeing the guy selling them.  Wee bald guy, if I remember right?  The fanzine had some funny articles.  

 

Think he used to drink in Mathers (Broughton St, Edinburgh) regularly too. 

 

 

[compo 8,203]

Sadly missed R I P 

[CammyF 9,766]

3 minutes ago, Gonzo79 said:

I think I only read No.1 when other folk on my supporters bus had it (my dad only bought Follow Follow and I was never really into carrying things around at matches) but always remember seeing the guy selling them.  Wee bald guy, if I remember right?  The fanzine had some funny articles.  

 

Think he used to drink in Mathers (Broughton St, Edinburgh) regularly too. 

 

 

George was the wee bald guy selling it at JG statue. As for him frequenting Edinburgh, I wouldn't know but it wouldn't surprise me. 

[CammyF 9,766]

I think my first article that got published in No1 Fanzine was about one of many bizarre Willie Young refereeing performances (away to Aberdeen).

 

In those days, before Internet and email being widely used, you had to post the articles to George so deadline day was a moving target due to the unknowns of the postal service.

 

It's also difficult to truly remember the effect Fanzines had and as @Devil's advocaat mentions, they were available to purchase in select shops.

 

Remember going to a fanzine shop in Edinburgh and picking up football and music fanzines - weirdly, Meadowbank Thistles was really good as we're quite a few others.

 

Different times indeed, but fanzines became an integral part of the matchday experience and culture in general.

 

At one point, at Rangers, the fanzines sold more copies than the matchday programme and IIRC SDM tried to bring them "in-house".

[26th of foot 6,231]

Sad to hear this truly awful news.

 

George was Haghill's Renaissance Man.

 

I met him first fifty years past in the Burn's Howff in West Regent Street, George was a singer in a blues band. If you got around the live music venues in Glasgow in those days, the Maggie, His Nibs, the Beer Keller, ...... etc; you realised George sang in lots of Blues bands. 

 

I travelled on the Bristol Bar bus to Birmingham in 1976 to see Rangers play Aston Villa. In fact two buses left the Duke Street pub, a double decker and a coach. George was on the bus with a mate who I knew from my time at Fir Park Boys' Club. Billy McClymont played for Motherwell but claimed George was the more talented footballer. I believe George played professionally during his period in Canada.

 

I contributed a couple of dozen pieces to the Number One 'zine over the years and Editor George never augmented/subtracted/suggested/advised anything - he just offered thanks.

 

George was a red, white and blues man.

[Devil's advocaat 1,988]

Great memories gents. 👏🏻

[Tannochsidebear 2,540]

Loved the number one fanzine and always bought it from George before a game. Always thought it was generally lighter and more humorous than FF. Stood and chatted with George a few times as well as seeing him at the games and concur with the guys above that he was a proper Bear and a damn good guy. RIP to The EA.