Fair play for the not-celebrating thing, I've always respected that.
I won't jeer him but I don't like it when our fans applaud the opposition.
I think the biggest mark of respect you can pay to a player is to show your appreciation when he returns playing for another side. Doesn't happen often, and rightly so.
I'll never forget the standing ovation we gave Colin Calderwood at the start of our Premiership game at White Hart Lane. The two teams swapped ends just before kick off so the great man had to jog over towards our stand. 4000 Town fans got up off their feet and gave him an ovation that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. Just brilliant. And then to cap it all, I think (but memory's a little hazy now) that he was partly at fault for the goal we scored that day. Legend.
I'm all for giving ex players who merit it a rousing reception....the ones that don't just ignore.
A few that spring to mind.....Peter Noble. The TE used to jump up and down and sing No ball No ball No ball no ball no ball......repeat Not original but it worked.
He revisited some years after he'd left us for Burnley....but the TE obliged with a great rendition. Fine player hugely under rated.
Dave Bamber....used to love it coming back to Swindon. The chant was Bambi Bambi Bambi. He'd make sure he did his legendary warm up in front of the singers on the South Side. Against Stoke he obliged with an own goal.
Chris Kamara... after his first departure, came back to the CG with a Stan Bowles inspired Brentford...scored with a header from the edge of the box in front of the TE, then slide on his knees to celebrate. Didn't go down too well. All was forgiven though after the success of his second spell, which lifted him into STFC hero status.....received good reception on second return with Luton, included sliding tackle on own player to prevent him scoring.
Fraser Digby....got the total respect he deserved, when visiting with Palarse in 98. For some reason though goalkeepers don't seem to have their own chants. A bizarre match....Palarse were managed by Venables and they had Attilio Lombardo playing for them. I'd seen a lot of him on C4, an dhe was a wonderful player....Sol Davis marked him out the game.
