What Became Of Douglas Cromb?

After the planned move to Straiton fell through and the building of the new stands ushered in the new era of ER and closed the chapter on the old informal Hibs, I recall he went to Raith Ravers.

What's he doing now?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eFijrAd9-s

Last I heard he was either in deep discussion with Club 9 about funding a takeover. or selling tat to American tourists. Or maybe both.

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Originally Posted by Filled Rolls

Off to the great protest movement in the sky, ceased to be, an ex-hibby etc...

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Really? The Dennis Norden of Leith is no more?

When did he cash his chips in?

The old bugger charged me a fiver for a bottle of "Famous Five" wine after one of the opportunities to have your photo taken with the Skol and League Cups, its still lying about the house somewhere although the label is pretty much gone.

I liked douglas cromb, I had no idea he was dead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biPVEqNub60

Spontaneously combusted after Alex Miller wouldnt tell him why Hibs were crap!

I had the pleasure of meeting Douglas Cromb a couple of weeks ago - so certainly at that stage he was very much alive and kicking!

He was great to talk to and didn't seem to mind being stopped in the street by a random Hibby.

We had a chat about his time at ER, signing Keith Wright (for £420K - I had thought it was £500K), Skol Cup and rather topically the Hearts situation. I mentioned how good ER looked and suggested that he was in no small way responsible for what we have today but he just dismissed that and gave the credit to Tom Farmer.

I was saddened to hear that he doesn't attend nowadays and didn't even go to the cup final. He seemed a bit out of touch with todays team.

I'm sure he'd get a good welcome from the fans if he chose to attend a game - and I told him that!

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Originally Posted by hibbybob

I had the pleasure of meeting Douglas Cromb a couple of weeks ago - so certainly at that stage he was very much alive and kicking!

He was great to talk to and didn't seem to mind being stopped in the street by a random Hibby.

We had a chat about his time at ER, signing Keith Wright (for £420K - I had thought it was £500K), Skol Cup and rather topically the Hearts situation. I mentioned how good ER looked and suggested that he was in no small way responsible for what we have today but he just dismissed that and gave the credit to Tom Farmer.

I was saddened to hear that he doesn't attend nowadays and didn't even go to the cup final. He seemed a bit out of touch with todays team.

I'm sure he'd get a good welcome from the fans if he chose to attend a game - and I told him that!

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Thanks for that HB. Where did you run into him?

I never forgave him for the allocation of League Cup tickets for a second round match away to Albion Rovers.

He handed the allocation over lock stock and barrel to the supporters clubs. Season ticket holders got no allocation whatsoever.

Remember his innovation with the yellow plastic ponchos that were issued to supporters sitting in the open air during he reconstruction of Easter Road when the weather was wet?

Crombe was dubbed the Hocho responsible for the Poncho.

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Originally Posted by Speedway

Thanks for that HB. Where did you run into him?

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I stalked ..... I mean ran into him near his house at the top end of Colinton.

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Originally Posted by hibbybob

I had the pleasure of meeting Douglas Cromb a couple of weeks ago - so certainly at that stage he was very much alive and kicking!

He was great to talk to and didn't seem to mind being stopped in the street by a random Hibby.

We had a chat about his time at ER, signing Keith Wright (for £420K - I had thought it was £500K), Skol Cup and rather topically the Hearts situation. I mentioned how good ER looked and suggested that he was in no small way responsible for what we have today but he just dismissed that and gave the credit to Tom Farmer.

I was saddened to hear that he doesn't attend nowadays and didn't even go to the cup final. He seemed a bit out of touch with todays team.

I'm sure he'd get a good welcome from the fans if he chose to attend a game - and I told him that!

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Rather topical given the "idiot" comment on another thread. I wrote to him around 1997, I had been trying unsuccessfully, via the shop, to buy my son a Hibs Strip since he was born, 18 months previously. Not only did he telephone me on receipt of the letter, he got the strip sent out immediately, before I had even paid for it & he told me the two, as yet unannounced, players that Hibs were signing the following day.

Shared a joke with mr crombe in the hibs shop when my dad was getting the cheque book oit and signing his name, alex miller when he was in charge to bet he thought that one was going to bounce lol

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Originally Posted by Ray-in-ireland

Rather topical given the "idiot" comment on another thread. I wrote to him around 1997, I had been trying unsuccessfully, via the shop, to buy my son a Hibs Strip since he was born, 18 months previously. Not only did he telephone me on receipt of the letter, he got the strip sent out immediately, before I had even paid for it & he told me the two, as yet unannounced, players that Hibs were signing the following day.

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I bought a season ticket and at the first game discovered it had already been sold. Wrote a letter in the Sidney way and Mr Cromb phoned me at work to sort things out. Hearts supporter that worked with me then answered the phone and couldn't believe it.

I, too, got a call from him at work.

I had a question on the accounts, and wasn't able to attend the AGM. Normal reaction would be to say "stuff him and his question, if he can't be bothered to attend...etc etc." Not for him. It was a pleasant and informative chat, including a few wee digs at "Wallace".

Did the guy just sit on the phone all day? Damned waste of management time if you ask me!!! :greengrin

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Originally Posted by Ray-in-ireland

Rather topical given the "idiot" comment on another thread. I wrote to him around 1997, I had been trying unsuccessfully, via the shop, to buy my son a Hibs Strip since he was born, 18 months previously. Not only did he telephone me on receipt of the letter, he got the strip sent out immediately, before I had even paid for it & he told me the two, as yet unannounced, players that Hibs were signing the following day.

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Who were?

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Originally Posted by Speedway

Who were?

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Bit late for an exclusive! :-)

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Originally Posted by Wilson

Bit late for an exclusive! :-)

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:greengrin

I take it we've ended out interest in Ronan Murray now.

I wonder if we'll draft in Gardiner for Sunday.

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Originally Posted by Ray-in-ireland

Rather topical given the "idiot" comment on another thread. I wrote to him around 1997, I had been trying unsuccessfully, via the shop, to buy my son a Hibs Strip since he was born, 18 months previously. Not only did he telephone me on receipt of the letter, he got the strip sent out immediately, before I had even paid for it & he told me the two, as yet unannounced, players that Hibs were signing the following day.

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So all peachey until the names "Hamiton and Cooper" wee uttered ;)
(actually I think Cooper was ok and Hammy took a lot of stick for someone who only cut the grass (signing pic tenuous linkage).

One of life's good guys is Douglas Cromb.

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Originally Posted by hibbybob

I had the pleasure of meeting Douglas Cromb a couple of weeks ago - so certainly at that stage he was very much alive and kicking!

He was great to talk to and didn't seem to mind being stopped in the street by a random Hibby.

We had a chat about his time at ER, signing Keith Wright (for £420K - I had thought it was £500K), Skol Cup and rather topically the Hearts situation. I mentioned how good ER looked and suggested that he was in no small way responsible for what we have today but he just dismissed that and gave the credit to Tom Farmer.

I was saddened to hear that he doesn't attend nowadays and didn't even go to the cup final. He seemed a bit out of touch with todays team.

I'm sure he'd get a good welcome from the fans if he chose to attend a game - and I told him that!

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Thanks, I've deleted my posts.

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Originally Posted by Ray-in-ireland

Rather topical given the "idiot" comment on another thread. I wrote to him around 1997, I had been trying unsuccessfully, via the shop, to buy my son a Hibs Strip since he was born, 18 months previously. Not only did he telephone me on receipt of the letter, he got the strip sent out immediately, before I had even paid for it & he told me the two, as yet unannounced, players that Hibs were signing the following day.

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Source? Griffiths?

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I never forgave him for the allocation of League Cup tickets for a second round match away to Albion Rovers.

He handed the allocation over lock stock and barrel to the supporters clubs. Season ticket holders got no allocation whatsoever.

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For that game, three of us couldn't get tickets. I wrote to him and pointed out we were season ticket holders and hadn't missed a cup game game home or away for years. Two days later three comps arrived inan envelope with compliments. Luckily saw him at Coatbridge before the game and was able to thank him.
Sound guy.

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Originally Posted by Speedway

Who were?

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Not too successful, one of them was Ian Cameron, I can't remember who the other was, perhaps somebody else will help me out there. David Farrell & Gareth Evans joined Thistle as part of the deal for IC.

Brian Welch being the other.

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Hibs+s...on.-a061326918

Quite topical given the 'email to petrie' thread on the go.

I remember when the new north stand opened - I had a season ticket at the top row of seats above the hospitality and there was an incident when a hearts fan who'd obviously had quite a bit of the free drink on offer was celebrating a bit too much and ended up getting pelted with a selection of food items :greengrin

Can't remember if it was DC or just a general letter but all the season ticket holder's got a note basically condemning us for our behaviour (anyone else remember this).

I'm sure I wasn't the only one but I replied saying that the club had been incredibly naive if they thought the fans would accept an opposition fan celebrating in our end.

To DC's credit he called me and then invited me to ER for a chat.

I always respect him for that.

I was fortunate to meet Douglas when Alex Miller was in charge at ER. He invited me to a closed doors game at ER when Hibs played Dundee and seemed quite taken with how the Dundee manager sat in the stand shouting down instructions to his players. The man in question was one James Duffy. Of course Douglas was massively loyal to Miller - gave me a row as the fanzine editor for calling Miller Lexo :greengrin

I thought and still think a lot of Douglas. As Beefster said, one of life's good guys

Always liked Dougie Cromb. His only flaw was his blind loyalty to Alex 'chuckles' Miller

I wrote to him about the Straiton proposal and he called me up to invite me in to discuss it, must have been in his office about 3 hours going over it, hats off to him for being willing to do that, fatally flawed though the idea was.

I met Dougie on several occasions. As others have said he was incredibly kind & free with his time, one day I sat with him for hours outlining ways in which Hibs could increase gates & revenues. The downside was I was disappointed at his lack of vision & knowledge as to how to take Hibs forward. He was a local business man & I think he was a bit out his depth on a national stage.
Separately, what happened to his sidekick Ian Brennan? Ian was a fanatical Hibby, did sterling work in running the Hibs lottery then disappeared with Dougie to Raith or wherever. I could never understand that.

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Originally Posted by Beefster

One of life's good guys is Douglas Cromb.

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:agree: Douglas Cromb and Kenny McLean were two of the nicest people I ever met. When we had the supporters bus running from Port Seton late 80's early 90's they made sure we were well looked after and could not do enough for us. Both invited me to join Club86 committee way back - how could you possibly say no. Very sad day when Kenny McLean passed away but good to hear Dougie Cromb is still kicking around. Yes Messrs Cromb and McLean, scholars and gentlemen and great Hibby's legends in their own lifetimes.

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Originally Posted by brog

I met Dougie on several occasions. As others have said he was incredibly kind & free with his time, one day I sat with him for hours outlining ways in which Hibs could increase gates & revenues. The downside was I was disappointed at his lack of vision & knowledge as to how to take Hibs forward. He was a local business man & I think he was a bit out his depth on a national stage.
Separately, what happened to his sidekick Ian Brennan? Ian was a fanatical Hibby, did sterling work in running the Hibs lottery then disappeared with Dougie to Raith or wherever. I could never understand that.

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Ian is a bookmaker now I believe. Fabulous guy who could not do enough for the supporters while on the board. People like him and Alan Thom, Peter Janetta and Brian Penman and Gordon McCabe are sadly missed around Easter Road these days.