Their Manager
The Bay City Rollers manager was called Tam Paton. He was a bit of a mystery really, being largely unknown to the general public. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland he was the son of a potato farmer. He had once been in a band himself but did not have much success and never really hit the big time. Even though his group didn't make it he didn't give up on his dream of stardom entirely. He still craved the limelight so he decided that managing the Bay City Rollers would be the next best thing. During the 70's he controlled the Rollers lives, keeping them on a very 'short leash' so to speak. He dictated whether they could have girlfriends (the couldn't) and stuck beside them like glue during interviews, on tour and was even seen onstage behind the Rollers watching everything that was going on at some concerts! To say he was a control freak was an understatement. He ruled the Rollers with a rod of iron and did not tolerate dissent. If you didn't tow the line, you were as good as gone. (as happened to Alan Longmuir)
The fact that Tam was a control freak was probably a bit of a shock to Bay city Roller fans after they became adults. 'Back in the 70's, fans didn't have a clue what Tam was really like. Roller fans loved him! They really did. They thought he was a good man. They thought he was a great man. They thought he was perfect. I mean after all the Bay City Rollers were perfect so he must have been too! The fans loved Tam - only because they loved the Rollers and anyone or anything associated with them. And the fans were very young and innocent. Being the Roller's manager, Tam was seen as part of the Rollers. Not part of the group, (although in the press he had been called the 6th Roller) but just someone closely associated with them so therefore still part of them. Imagine the shock and horror as years later fans learned the truth about the Bay City Rollers manager!
The fact that Tam was a control freak was probably a bit of a shock to Bay city Roller fans after they became adults. 'Back in the 70's, fans didn't have a clue what Tam was really like. Roller fans loved him! They really did. They thought he was a good man. They thought he was a great man. They thought he was perfect. I mean after all the Bay City Rollers were perfect so he must have been too! The fans loved Tam - only because they loved the Rollers and anyone or anything associated with them. And the fans were very young and innocent. Being the Roller's manager, Tam was seen as part of the Rollers. Not part of the group, (although in the press he had been called the 6th Roller) but just someone closely associated with them so therefore still part of them. Imagine the shock and horror as years later fans learned the truth about the Bay City Rollers manager!