Dave Watson for me. He was an imperious defender who didn't win 60-odd England caps during his career through luck, and I started watching City in his first season at the club. Back then we had a lot of top players by the standard of the English top flight in that era but he was the one who caught my imagination and no one has ever done so in quite the same way since.
In part, that was because I felt a personal connection with him. He was already my favourite, but it also then turned out that his local GP in Hale was my mother's best friend from school. She mentioned to him that her 7-year-old godson was an avid Blue and he took my autograph to training one day, getting all the members of that superb side of Tony Book's in 1976/7 to sign it for me, then meeting me in person to hand it over.
That the national team's centre half would do this for me was a huge thrill and even the large majority of rags at my primary school in Stretford were seriously impressed. I've remembered that feeling ever since but never suspected I'd be able to repay Dave. Then, a while back, @City_Shirts, who's a top man, asked City fans online to record short messages of support to be sent to Dave because, as many people on here will be aware, he's been suffering for years with a dementia-related illness (anyone who's had similar in their family will know how awful that is).
Via Mark, I sent a short video expressing my admiration for Dave as a player and relating my autograph story. I got a lovely message back from his wife Penny to thank me. She said he recalled the event very well (I assumed he'd have long forgotten it) and had enjoyed reminiscing about it. That was was almost as big a thrill as getting the autographs of Corrigan, Donachie, Doyle, Hartford, Owen, Barnes, Royle, Kidd, Tueart et al in the first place. Love you, Dave.
In part, that was because I felt a personal connection with him. He was already my favourite, but it also then turned out that his local GP in Hale was my mother's best friend from school. She mentioned to him that her 7-year-old godson was an avid Blue and he took my autograph to training one day, getting all the members of that superb side of Tony Book's in 1976/7 to sign it for me, then meeting me in person to hand it over.
That the national team's centre half would do this for me was a huge thrill and even the large majority of rags at my primary school in Stretford were seriously impressed. I've remembered that feeling ever since but never suspected I'd be able to repay Dave. Then, a while back, @City_Shirts, who's a top man, asked City fans online to record short messages of support to be sent to Dave because, as many people on here will be aware, he's been suffering for years with a dementia-related illness (anyone who's had similar in their family will know how awful that is).
Via Mark, I sent a short video expressing my admiration for Dave as a player and relating my autograph story. I got a lovely message back from his wife Penny to thank me. She said he recalled the event very well (I assumed he'd have long forgotten it) and had enjoyed reminiscing about it. That was was almost as big a thrill as getting the autographs of Corrigan, Donachie, Doyle, Hartford, Owen, Barnes, Royle, Kidd, Tueart et al in the first place. Love you, Dave.