The Statue

Ian Brennan did the first statue.

Who did the replacement?

Having a sleepless night over this?

Sean Hedges-Quinn

http://www.tedbates.co.uk/news.html (Link no longer working)

"Ian Brennan has done a tremendous job. It is very rare I am lost for words but I saw the statue last week and it is awesome - a tremendous tribute to a great man. Fans have waited a long time for this and it is going to be fantastic. I really believe it will be the best football statue anywhere both in size and the amount of detail. Ted Bates was a remarkable servant who transformed this club and I think everyone is very excited to see the work under way and to know it will be a reality on March 16."

It was the best statue anywhere, people still talk about it to this day.

Just goes to show the impact it made.

I wonder if Ian Brennan has worked since.

It's a shame the original forum thread isn't still available. I think it was 'The Farmer' who posted the image of his hand coming over the roof and holding up a floodlight stand. I literally had to get out of my seat and walk around the room, I was laughing so hard it bloody hurt sitting down

I'm sure I remember somebody that night saying that maybe it was because it's dark, it might look better in the morning........it looked worse in the morning.

It's a shame the original forum thread isn't still available. I think it was 'The Farmer' who posted the image of his hand coming over the roof and holding up a floodlight stand. I literally had to get out of my seat and walk around the room, I was laughing so hard it bloody hurt sitting down

That one was insanely funny. Can't find that anywhere, the ones I've posted here I stole from a Man Utd forum thread on the subject, of all places.

I wonder if Ian Brennan has worked since.

Not on bronze. He is first and foremost a renowned wood carver and modeller, so its a bit strange why he got the gig in the first place.

It really is uncanny how he worked on Ted Bates and came up exactly with Mandaric. It must have been deliberate.

Every time I see this picture I wonder what they must be thinking.

It really is uncanny how he worked on Ted Bates and came up exactly with Mandaric. It must have been deliberate.

I doubt it. Mandaric has a face for artists who can't do faces.

What happened to it? Was in broken up on a beach in Pakistan?

Every time I see this picture I wonder what they must be thinking.

"Why have they erected a statue of Milan Mandaric?"

A brilliant way to return to the forum Mr Farmer.

This thread is hilarious.

What happened to it? Was in broken up on a beach in Pakistan?

We cut the head off, chopped it into 4 pieces and sent them back to headquarters.

Not sure what happened to the rest of it.

A brilliant way to return to the forum Mr Farmer.

Cheers. Not been too much to moan about recently!!

Also just found the photo I took on the unveiling night and posted on 4es later that evening - which prompted the 'it will look better in the morning with a better quality photo' comment!!

To those at the unveiling, what was the reaction at the time? Personally Im a polite bloke and I would have given a little clap and said looks lovely. Emporers new clothes and all that. Were there mumbles and grumbles and WTF's at the time?

To those at the unveiling, what was the reaction at the time? Personally Im a polite bloke and I would have given a little clap and said looks lovely. Emporers new clothes and all that. Were there mumbles and grumbles and WTF's at the time?

I wasn't actually at the unveiling but I got back from work to the luke-warm forum reports. So about 10pm I shot over to see for myself why people were returning under-whelmed, and to bring back exhibit 'A' to post!!

Disparaging comments ensued!!

To those at the unveiling, what was the reaction at the time? Personally Im a polite bloke and I would have given a little clap and said looks lovely. Emporers new clothes and all that. Were there mumbles and grumbles and WTF's at the time?

My mate went. She said there were mumbles and wispers, then she said "I don't like it" and a kid started crying.

Cheers. Not been too much to moan about recently!!

 

Also just found the photo I took on the unveiling night and posted on 4es later that evening - which prompted the 'it will look better in the morning with a better quality photo' comment!!

 

Ah this the the first ever photo I saw of the statue, brings back more memories. Any more beauties that you may have photoshopped on your hard drive from the original thread mate?

I hope it wasn't really broken down and melted, where does Brennan work, maybe he has it secreted away somewhere..

I would love to see it in the 'flesh'

Ah this the the first ever photo I saw of the statue, brings back more memories. Any more beauties that you may have photoshopped on your hard drive from the original thread mate?

Found a couple in the folder - one more from the original shoot that night (The jacket cuffs ffs!!):

And not sure what this was referring to, perhaps a muted Lowe SMS expansion vision for the future???

And, off topic, another ol' favourite from hard drive....

As someone has already said.....we are still enjoying the impact of that statue to this day. Whilst it was an obvious failure as a monument to the great man, it has provided one of the all time best laughs on the Saints forums and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Didn't Peter Jackson buy it to use as a market square statue in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit? (I'll get me coat)

http://www.iangb.com/

Some of his other work

http://www.iangb.com/

 

 

Some of his other work

Which if you look around only goes to show that the guy really does have great talent.

Unfortunately for us, he got it wrong, these peices never look like going togeather very well - Ted looks better without a head...!!

Found a couple in the folder - one more from the original shoot that night (The jacket cuffs ffs!!):

 

 

 

And not sure what this was referring to, perhaps a muted Lowe SMS expansion vision for the future???

 

 

 

And, off topic, another ol' favourite from hard drive....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was referring to lifelongsaints sfc über takeover of course!

It just goes to show you need the right man for the job. it ended up looking very much like one the disabled kid would make in art class. I cant decide if it should have been kept or not.

I cant decide if it should have been kept or not.

We could have stuck it in goal on Saturday and we'd still have won 3-0

Perhaps this information at the end of his site explains:-

Copyright © 2011 all rights reserved

Ian G Brennan – Portsmouth Hampshire UK.

I love threads on 'statue'. God it was funny at the time…. and a massive loss to civilisation when the original unveiling thread was lost on here! God that was real tears in the eyes laughter stuff. Golden thread of all time on here frankly.

But, I was so pleased that Crouch paid for a replacement to be proud of.

What ever happened to the original?

BRILLIANT! Absolutely brilliant.

Oh god Farmer that made me laugh too. Brilliant! Even Lowe must've found that funny!!

Anyone remember when it was brought down by coalition forces?

To be fair to the original Ted Bates statue it was never as embarrassing as this….

What ever happened to the original?

Whilst I'm sure it got melted down I love the idea that maybe somewhere out there somebody has it in their garden as an ornamental piece and uses it to take funny photos such as cooking on the BBQ or mowing the lawn.

To be fair to the original Ted Bates statue it was never as embarrassing as this….

Oh Jesus how could I have forgotten about that so quickly. It really is beyond belief isn't it!!

Here's Mr Brennan's website. Strangely no mention of Ted Bates http://www.ianbrennan.co.uk/ but he's not a bad craftsman when it comes to animals and shields...

http://www.iangb.com/

 

 

Some of his other work

Thanks for that link, notice he does not display the TB Statue on his website.

I raised a question on another thread about where Brennan lived and the website confirms :

Contemporary sculptor Ian G Brennan who lives near Portsmouth in Hampshire in the UK

Pure coincidence the finished product appeared as a sculpture by a special needs art class ?

Actually it is a shame we don't have the original as it would be a good feature if/when we have a Saints museum.

Or perhaps the club could hire it out for parties.

I'm sure I remember somebody that night saying that maybe it was because it's dark, it might look better in the morning........it looked worse in the morning.

And, "It's just the perspective, they used the wrong plinth".

I'm still laughing at it (and this thread). It's a shame they didn't auction it off - it would have made millions.

I'll give this club credit, Ali Dia, Ted Bates statue mk1, Steve Wigley - when we cock something up, we cock it up BIG stylee.

Not on bronze. He is first and foremost a renowned wood carver and modeller, so its a bit strange why he got the gig in the first place.

 

It really is uncanny how he worked on Ted Bates and came up exactly with Mandaric. It must have been deliberate.

I'm pretty sure that not only did he have no experience of bronze he also had no experience of humans. He was a wood carver of animals. His sole qualification for getting the job was that he was a Saints fan. That was the sole and most important requirement of doing this job. Forget experience, forget ability. As long as he stuck a red and white scarf round his neck once a fortnight then he simply must make a fantastic job of it. This just goes to show how lucky we are that we never got a fan on the board otherwise more idiotic decisions like this would have occured.

These words also raise a laugh every time i read them as well;

"It is very rare I am lost for words but I saw the statue last week and it is awesome - a tremendous tribute to a great man. [southampton] Fans have waited a long time for this and it is going to be fantastic. I really believe it will be the best football statue anywhere both in size and the amount of detail" -- Ted Bates Trust chairman Dave Ford

Great thread.