Pat Nevin Yay or Nay?

[hibsbollah]

I'm listening to him waxing lyrical about the Champions league. I know he's one of those intelligent professional Hibs fans were all supposed to like, but I just find him massively annoying. Full of himself, takes a lifetime to say very little of substance, and irritating delivery. There's also something about his'used to be a Celt until I noticed the sectarianism and then moved to Hibs' as a bit patronising.

Or is this sacrilege?

[Hiber-nation]

I'm listening to him waxing lyrical about the Champions league. I know he's one of those intelligent professional Hibs fans were all supposed to like, but I just find him massively annoying. Full of himself, takes a lifetime to say very little of substance, and irritating delivery. There's also something about his'used to be a Celt until I noticed the sectarianism and then moved to Hibs' as a bit patronising.

Or is this sacrilege?

Nah, he's a wee slaver.

[Oscar T Grouch]

Compared to other pundits he’s not that bad.

[Gordy M]

I played golf with him in a charity event. He is a really nice guy and totally down to earth. Quite happy to chat about Hibs and had good stories about his time at Chelsea. Just a really nice bloke.

[blackpoolhibs]

I like him, he's quite sensible and doesn't pander too much to the masses. Although like every other pundit, his football allegiances will sway some folk one way or another.

Yet saying all that, football pundits hardly register in my thoughts one way or another in the grand scheme of things. :greengrin

[Bostonhibby]

Met him at Hibs Berwick friendly a few years back. He's a good guy and cares about Hibs. I suspect he's bright enough to play the meejah game and get what he wants out of it.

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[green day]

I'm listening to him waxing lyrical about the Champions league. I know he's one of those intelligent professional Hibs fans were all supposed to like, but I just find him massively annoying. Full of himself, takes a lifetime to say very little of substance, and irritating delivery. There's also something about his'used to be a Celt until I noticed the sectarianism and then moved to Hibs' as a bit patronising.

Or is this sacrilege?

I like Pat, he took himself and his family out of the West Coast sectarianism when he moved back up here - lives in the borders, IIRC.

As to the Hibs stuff, I think his kids initially wanted to go, and he found himself liking scottish football again.

As to a pundit, I like that Pat is intelligent - some dont like him, because he might appear a wee bit of that Glasgow Art School, Postcard Records thing from the 80s.

But some comparisons;

Pat Nevin or Ewan Murray
Tam McManus or Alan Preston

Theres a pattern :greengrin

[Stevie Reid]

Like him. Moving away from Celtic due to sectarianism, picking to follow Hibs because of the football we played at the time, and making his laddie a Hibbie (I think) is all highly commendable in my book.

Punditry is ok. There are many who are way worse.

[hibsbollah]

He also says 'period' at the end of sentences like an American. Which is a hanging offence as far as I'm concerned.

But I defer to those of you who have actually met him that he's not a wee **** :greengrin

[Pretty Boy]

He's ok but changing your team doesn't sit well to me, even if on the face of it it's a sound decision.

[Golden Bear]

Pat is first and foremost a decent human being.

In his pundit's role I find him good to listen to as he normally has an extensive knowledge of his subject area and can be relied upon to provide a sensible and balanced opinion.

[DarrenSQH]

He was excellent when he spoke at the ST Pats branch meeting. Great guy.

[Carheenlea]

Seen him a few times at gigs, so we share musical tastes. Chatted to him just the once for the duration of a pint at a Camera Obscura show and the chat was more Cocteau Twins and Jesus & Marychain than 4-4-2 and playing the number 10 role. A pleasant guy.

[patlowe]

Comes across as a decent, principled guy and gets extra brownie points for his allegiance to Hibs and willingness to bring it up on national radio.

Having said that, he doesn't half humble-brag about his own achievements, interests and old pals at every opportunity. I do find that a bit cringeworthy if I'm honest.

[KerPlunk]

Compared to other pundits he’s not that bad.
Fair point but when the “other pundits” are those titans of knowledge and commentary such as Billy Dodds, Alan Preston, Chick Dung, Gordon Smith etc., it kind of puts Nevin into perspective.
He does come across as a smug wee bugger at times.

[Since90+2]

Seems like a decent guy and not someone who just says things to get airtime (ala Sutton , Boyd and a few others).

Probably slightly underrated as a player as well , if he was playing in the current climate he would be worth millions.

[CropleyWasGod]

Comes across as a decent, principled guy and gets extra brownie points for his allegiance to Hibs and willingness to bring it up on national radio.

Having said that, he doesn't half humble-brag about his own achievements, interests and old pals at every opportunity. I do find that a bit cringeworthy if I'm honest.

I was at a Book festival gig a few years ago, where he hosted the author of the book about Robert Enke, the goalkeeper who committed suicide. He was a decent interviewer, but often strayed into his own anecdotes. They were entertaining enough, but it became a show partly about him, which wasn't why I was there.

Having said that, he told the story of the choice he had to make on 19th May 2012. He could either commentate on the SCF, or the Champions League final (where Chelsea were playing). He agonised over it, and chose the former. :rolleyes:

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

What makes Nevin different to other pundits is that he isn't worried about setting football in it's context rather than it being the be all and end all. Most of the known pundits come across as really narrow and for the ones who really grate, that narrows down to The Rangers and Celtc.

[Mick O'Rourke]

If Pat is doing his pundit duty at a Hibernian game on TV,i will listen to the half time chat.
I like listening to Pat. Not just because he is a Hibernian.
I just think he is more forthright and honest than many others that do Scottish games.

Pat says things he himself maybe wishes he wouldnt have to say.
Warts and all.

Other games and some of the other pundits?
Halftime with a lot of the pundits i will either put the kettle on or hoover the carpet !
Particulary those still playing.Conflict of interest sometimes.

Pat saw the light when he chose to follow Hibernian
Just like that famous Hibernian Jackie McNamara Snr.
Or "Jackie the Red" as he was known during his Celtic days.

Who would you rather have a pint with and chew the fat.
Nevin, Stewart ,Sutton or Boyd ?

[J-C]

I used to sit beside him/or his wife and their son in the old East a few years ago and Pat is a really nice bloke passionate about football. His son is autistic and wanted to go to football matches and Pat didn't want to expose him to the Celtic crap, so started taking him to see Hibs. Pat was hooked with the family style club we have here and became a fan, he still acknowledges his boyhood team is Celtic but he hates all the sectarian crap that goes with it, he's not an out and out Hibs fan but he has a soft spot for us and his son is a big Hibby now.

This was what he said when he gave evidence in 2011 to the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee when they were looking into bigotry in football.

Pat Nevin, who played for Scotland, Motherwell, and Chelsea in the Eighties and Nineties, was sickened when he took his son to Parkhead and Celtic supports burst into IRA songs during the match.

[villager]

I like him, compared to his pundit competitors he offers something a little different.

[lucky]

Decent pundit. Every time I’ve met him he comes across as a down to earth guy.

[Eaststandee]

He seems a pretty inoffensive guy, which is rare for a BBC Scotland pundit and if he likes Hibs he's alright in my book.

:flag:

[jacomo]

He's ok but changing your team doesn't sit well to me, even if on the face of it it's a sound decision.


Yeah but changing to Hibs is surely the exception?

:greengrin

[660]

Presume you were listening to the Totally Footballs show. Usually don’t mind Nevin but found him pretty tortuous.

[Bobby Moore]

I was at a Dalkeith a Hibs supporter function about 4 years ago and Pat was one of the speakers. He really was excellent and totally upfront about being a Hibbee convert but from his contribution on the day it really was obvious he was a total Hibernian and really got the ethos of our great club.

[hibsbollah]

Presume you were listening to the Totally Footballs show. Usually don’t mind Nevin but found him pretty tortuous.

That was the one. He sounded like he was just about to start eating himself. But he's a bit like that on Five live. Each to their own...

[Bostonhibby]

Yeah but changing to Hibs is surely the exception?

:greengrinAgree. I've started liking my hun lite cousin again now that he has started taking his kids to ER because he doesn't want them to listen to "all the west of Scotland hate crap".

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[patlowe]

That was the one. He sounded like he was just about to start eating himself.

I think he might be pals with the Wigan manager, not sure if you got that :greengrin

[basehibby]

I've always found that as a pundit he comes across well - thoughtful, even handed and insightful - and speaks well, so he's definitely one that I've got a lot more time for out of the preferred pool of Scottish football pundits.

Re the allegiance thing - Yes he's unusual in that he appears to have switched allegiance, although as a professional footballer I think that the club you support as a boy matters a lot less after a career playing for multiple clubs - all of whom should be your main focus for at least as long as you play for them. Of course Nevin never played for Hibs and neither did he play (at senior level) for Celtic, who he apparently followed as a boy. Nevertheless, the story of Nevin effectively becoming a Hibee by accident having brought his son along to ER during the fantastically entertaining and exciting Mowbray era sounds genuine enough to me and is, I think, a compliment to Hibs as a club and the fans - amongst whom Nevin and his son evidently feel perfectly at home.

On a personal level I've bumped into Pat once at Harthill on the way to Hampden and found him to be a nice down to earth and affable guy who was perfectly happy to shoot the breeze with a passing random Hibee such as myself - so as far as I could tell a nice guy with no airs or pretension about him despite his media profile.

So - in summary - Pat gets an unhesitant and full hearted AYE from me - very good pundit and happy to have him aboard as a fellow Hibee :thumbsup:

[Malthibby]

I say yay yay....

[Roxyhibee]

Pat’s a big Yay from me is a person, pundit and converted Hibby.

I do however think he’s sometimes quite difficult to listen to when he’s summing up an incident - he’s a slightly over emotional thinker and speaker - but a cut above most of the cringey, ego driven pundits who are more about themselves than the game.

[Sir David Gray]

I can't stand him as a pundit. I don't know what it is I'm just not a fan.

[Carheenlea]

I used to sit beside him/or his wife and their son in the old East a few years ago and Pat is a really nice bloke passionate about football. His son is autistic and wanted to go to football matches and Pat didn't want to expose him to the Celtic crap, so started taking him to see Hibs. Pat was hooked with the family style club we have here and became a fan, he still acknowledges his boyhood team is Celtic but he hates all the sectarian crap that goes with it, he's not an out and out Hibs fan but he has a soft spot for us and his son is a big Hibby now.

This was what he said when he gave evidence in 2011 to the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee when they were looking into bigotry in football.

Pat Nevin, who played for Scotland, Motherwell, and Chelsea in the Eighties and Nineties, was sickened when he took his son to Parkhead and Celtic supports burst into IRA songs during the match.

It wasn't as black and white as just changing your allegiances. The reasons you highlight gives the background to how he ended up a Hibs fan.
I heard him on Radio 5 last week on Question Time Extra Time, a platform you're unlikely to see "Doddsy" or "Biscuits". Going by the posts he doesn't seem to be everyone's cup of tea, but I like listening to him.

[Sammy7nil]

He also says 'period' at the end of sentences like an American. Which is a hanging offence as far as I'm concerned.

But I defer to those of you who have actually met him that he's not a wee **** :greengrin

He speaks English unlike a lot of pundits and seems a decent guy, period. :wink:

[hibsbollah]

He speaks English unlike a lot of pundits and seems a decent guy, period. :wink:

Arrrgggggh :greengrin

[Sauzee16]

Can't see what there's not to like about him?

[Brizo]

Articulate and intelligent pundit who as others have said doesn't set out to be controversial for the sole purpose of getting airtime.

Seems a thoroughly decent guy who did the decent thing and converted to the inclusive non-sectarian original greens... thats obviously not enough for some people on here though

[JimBHibees]

Articulate and intelligent pundit who as others have said doesn't set out to be controversial for the sole purpose of getting airtime.

Seems a thoroughly decent guy who did the decent thing and converted to the inclusive non-sectarian original greens... thats obviously not enough for some people on here though

Agree he is someone you can definitely listen to who has a great degree of knowledge on a whole raft of topics. His experience in football in many different roles such as Players union, player, CEO etc means he can speak from a position of direct experience and doesn't come out with the usual platitudes. Not afraid to comment on areas others wouldnt touch such as sectarianism so he is a huge yes from me. Also seems a perfectly decent guy.

His comments on the Scottish cup final about bumping into older Hibees after the game was also very good.

[chrisski33]

id say yay! and id say get of the other pundits on bbc scotland who are cringeworthy

[Crazyhorse]

I'm listening to him waxing lyrical about the Champions league. I know he's one of those intelligent professional Hibs fans were all supposed to like, but I just find him massively annoying. Full of himself, takes a lifetime to say very little of substance, and irritating delivery. There's also something about his'used to be a Celt until I noticed the sectarianism and then moved to Hibs' as a bit patronising.

Or is this sacrilege?

I like him. I have to say there are a huge number of pundits who give me the boak - BBC Scotland are particularly stuffed full of cretins who are given an enormous amount of airtime. You are of course entitled to your opinion. But are there not a large number of others who deserve criticism first, particularly for constant infirm arse-licking, before we get offended by Pat?

[Nameless]

I think he's sound, and it's nothing to do with him being one of us. The only time I hear him on the radio is when he is on Fighting Talk. He's smart, funny and tells good anecdotes.

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[Barman Stanton]

A big Yay from me. Watch him after the 07 League Cup final in the BBC footage. He is almost in tears after SOL.

[FranckSuzy]

He was excellent when he spoke at the ST Pats branch meeting. Great guy.

:agree: :top marks

I like the fact that he just blethers away, whilst not downplaying his (many) achievements in football.

At the branch meeting, he dealt with a potentially awkward situation with good grace and humour, and certainly made me feel better after I had difficulty controlling my 'guest' for the evening :lips seal :greengrin He also spoke candidly about a tricky time he went through involving one of his sons, which resulted in him agreeing to give the '5-1' gesture on TV, in exchange for a donation to a autism charity. I know, I know :rolleyes: but it was all done in good humour :aok:

[Del Boy]

Don’t know him as a person, find him a total pain in the arse as a pundit.

[we are hibs]

He was ten times better than Stephen Thompson on sportscene, that's not difficult though.

[Jones28]

I like him, articulate and doesn't pander to the Old Firm. And a Hibee (convert or not) to boot - what's not to like?

[Is It On....]

I like Pat, he took himself and his family out of the West Coast sectarianism when he moved back up here - lives in the borders, IIRC.

As to the Hibs stuff, I think his kids initially wanted to go, and he found himself liking scottish football again.

As to a pundit, I like that Pat is intelligent - some dont like him, because he might appear a wee bit of that Glasgow Art School, Postcard Records thing from the 80s.

But some comparisons;

Pat Nevin or Ewan Murray
Tam McManus or Alan Preston

Theres a pattern :greengrin

Whats wrong with Postcard Records? I wish I had been old enough to appreciate the Scottish "indie" scene 😪

I heard him talking about going inter-railing with a few mates in the early 80s. In London they took him to see Simon & Garfunkel and the same night he took them to see The Jesus & Mary Chain which is an interesting contrast!!

[The Baldmans Comb]

Sound man, Sound pundit and a sound judge of which team to support.:na na:

Whats not to like. ?

[NAE NOOKIE]

I just wish he would face up to the fact he is going bald and get the clippers out for a Phil Mitchell cut ..... The guys one bad day away from turning up on the telly with a combover.

Apart from that I don't mind him :greengrin

[Ryan69]

Is he still a season ticket holder?

[jgl07]

Fair point but when the “other pundits” are those titans of knowledge and commentary such as Billy Dodds, Alan Preston, Chick Dung, Gordon Smith etc., it kind of puts Nevin into perspective.
He does come across as a smug wee bugger at times.

To be fair he has a lot to be smug about.

Who would you prefer Alan Preston, Derek Ferguson, or Willie Miller?

He is a street ahead of any of the the other Scottish analysts with the possible exception of Michael Stewart.

The only one from England who is better in my view is Gary Neville, although in grates on me to admit it.

[HIBEELASS]

Massive Yay. Genuine and down to earth guy. Love listening to him. Lives in same town as me and know his wife, son and daughter. A nicer family you will not meet.

[SideBurns]

He bought my auld man a pint at France '98. My auld man wisnae one to be starstruck or impressed by fitba players (until he met Joe Baker in the Jock's Lodge one night in the late '80s after a derby win, that is) but he said Pat was a great lad and good company.

[Lago]

id say yay! and id say get of the other pundits on bbc scotland who are cringeworthy
Haven't seen him on BBC Scotland in ages.

[angus hibby]

Very good pundit IMO. The “pundits” on Sportsound - Miller, Young, Ferguson, Preston, Dodds etc are dreadful.

For a job where speaking is actually quite important, how on earth Derek Ferguson gets on the radio is a joke. His use of the English language is non existent.

[jacomo]

Yay!

[ekhibee]

He's one of those guys I'd really like to have a good blether with, a very knowledgeable person indeed, but I do think he can be really annoying in his analysis at times.

[cocteautwin]

Seen him a few times at gigs, so we share musical tastes. Chatted to him just the once for the duration of a pint at a Camera Obscura show and the chat was more Cocteau Twins and Jesus & Marychain than 4-4-2 and playing the number 10 role. A pleasant guy.

I knew he was a Cocteau Twins fan but if he also likes Camera Obscura then it's a double thumbs up from me.

[CraigHibee]

A definite yay, most of the pundits on the beeb appear very biased in who they support and it shows a lot of the time, pat always gives a balanced view. Willie Miller is a fud and with preston it sound like he has a sock in his mouth which is choking him and I have this image of him spraying slaver everywhere when he talks, hearts twat

[Pete]

Yay from me. Top man, well informed and it doesn’t matter how you get here, he’s one of us.

[heretoday]

Pat's OK. He certainly gets plenty work from the beeb anyway. He seems to pop up on Five Live all the time. Perhaps he's a bit too smooth for me

It's all a matter of opinion. I don't actually mind the likes of Ferguson, Preston or Robbo. I don't see them as Glasgow mafia as typified by Chick Young. If they're Jambos big deal. Someone's gotta support them!