As a kid, which is when the imprinting takes place, it was Dennis Tueart (I’ve already shown the pic of me sitting on the old Maine Road dugout with him in his training gear!). Loved the way he ran at people, celebrated his goals and the overhead kick at Wembley.
Then, I scampered off to Trumpland and missed many of the dark years because there was no way to see City back then. Lived it through my brother and sister, who have been STH for 50 years, but never really latched onto a player.
However, as an adult, with cable TV and the ability to get to games now, I have been spoiled beyond my wildest dreams at the quality that has worn the shirt.
As a striker, I loved Sergio.
As a bit of a maverick, I loved watching Mario.
As a man who proved he’d die for the shirt, Zabba.
As a leader, Kompany is hard to match.
As an example of work ethic & skill, Bernie.
As a silent assassin, Fernandinho.
As an enigma, Yaya.
As a man touched by God, David Silva.
As a perfect attacking midfielder, KDB.
As a lab grown striker, Haaland.
In short, it’s like asking a City fan to pick their favorite child out of the hundreds they might have had, so it’s a seemingly impossible task, but if my life depended on it, I would have to say…
Sergio.
Gave me one of the highest highs of my life, and as a striker myself back in the day, I have always marveled at the different kinds of goals he was able to score.
As always, there was a brilliant supporting cast that runs him close, with David, Bernie & KDB primary amongst them, but Sergio was the guy on the pointy end of the stick that literally scored a record number of City goals, including THE goal, and whose name, when screamed by Martin Tyler, still gives me goosebumps.
He is literally the only man who has made me cry while watching a football match, although King Colin’s ovation when he came back from his injury turned on my waterworks as a younger lad.
Such a ray of light on and off the field. He could light up the room with his cheeky grin and light up the stadium with the swing of a boot.
I’ve seen a lot of football (in my 60s) and I have never seen such a natural goal scorer, and its goals that win games, bring a smile to your face, and even a tear to your eye.
Sergio not only changed my life as a City fan, he changed the club I have loved for over half a century. He could have gone anywhere in the world once he cut his teeth here, but he stayed, created history and fulfilled the dreams of thousands of long suffering Mancs with his never say die attitude.
