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[BlueAnorak]

In light of Canada's fantastic tribute to Frank Swift, I have to ask the question: Who was your first sporting heros?

For me there are three:
- Colin Bell
- Gordon Banks
- Pele

On the day the first man in space (Yuri Gagarin) had died in a Jet crash, United were playing City on a Wednesday night [27th March 1968] and as a 6 year old I was being dragged to watch United, the team I HAD to suport, by my Uncle. Even as a Utd fan I disliked going to Old Trafford - As a bullied child, the crowds anger and bully boy attitude anoyed me intensly!
Utd scored early doors but the rest of the game was dominated by the team playing in sky blue and one player in paticular destroyed them. He ran and ran and run and he was everywhere. Defending then attacking - even scoring 1 of the 3 further goals all scored by City without reply. That very day I became a blue and Colin Bell was the man who made me a blue. He could run and run and run...

My next heros were born from the World Cup in 1970. The Esso football coins, the hype of being the defending World Champions and England were playing Brazil in the first(?) game of the World Cup. The neighbours 'Green' colour TV with all the neighbours watching England v Brazil. What a game. Brazil were on top but England did threaten. Then the save. The ball was headed by Pele and it had to be a goal - but no. Somehow Banks got down to his left and managed to spoon the ball over the bar... From that moment Gordon was my hero. As too was Pele - as England faded due to Gordon's tummy trouble and his replacement being, well, crap.and My 1st hero not having a good day replacing Bobby 'comb over' Charlton. But Pele bossed that World cup and he tore Italy to pieces in the final. Slill, what style, pnache and flair. I wonder how many of us tried to knock the ball through a players legs and run round the defender to pick up the ball the following September. I know I did. There is a reason why people love have Brazil as their second team and this is it. A truely magical World Cup. England didn't win - but so what when the winners played the way they did.

[jds]

You went to a United match with Yuri Gagarin's uncle the night his nephew died? Blimey!

Mine were George Best (for his skill and seemingly glamorous lifestyle), Peter Lorimer (for his shot), Colin Bell (first ever player's autograph I got, my Mum worked at a solicitor's he used in town) and Joe Corrigan (for his bravery - I thought he was mad diving at players' feet, and didn't think other 'keepers did it), with an honourable mention for Denis Law for one particular goal. After my Cityitis became more entrenched it was Peter Barnes and Gary Owen, then after Feb '76 Denis Tueart.

Funnily enough we were talking about this the other night, and I think as you get older and meet more "stars" (and let's face it, who doesn't know someone who's been on telly these days, Andy Warhol was right) you become immune to the hero worship you have as a kid.

[The Pupi]

Tommy Booth was my first sporting hero.

[PD]

4 men in 2 categories

Category 1 - Glamor/Danger (all too sadly proven)

Peter Craven
Jim Clark

Category 2 - Role Model (in terms of my own aspirations)

Dave Wagstaffe
Graham Williams (Swinton scrum half)

[Kippax Cat]

Colin Bell and to a lesser extent Francis Lee (anyone else make their Mum drink Typhoo tea to get the posters for their wall?  ). 

As a bullied child, the crowds anger and bully boy attitude anoyed me intensly!

How odd..........must have been the trend in both North and South Manchester.  I'd nailed my colours to the City mast a few months earlier for similar reasons (and got pasted by the Rag-supporting school bully for doing so!)   

Ho hum..........the good old days eh? 

[Rocket]

Alan Oakes, because we met him (yes in a petrol station) on the way home from a game at Stamford Bridge in about 72ish. (I think he was with Mike Doyle) and on meeting me, an 11 year old kid he went back to their car and gave me the shirt he had worn that day

red and back striped one and I still have it to this day. I actually wore it at wembley for the play off final. a bit tattered and the badge has fallen off now but a sacred piece of cloth in our house

and of course Colin the King

[Paul]

If we're talking football only, Big Joe x3 (Corrigan, Jordan, and Royle when he was at Everton), Franny (the good one), Ball, Law (before he relegated them),Tommy Booth, The King, Billy Bremner, Tueart (he had a good side too).

But above all of those Tony Book, he was everything current footballers are not, and went on to be a real City legend for me, a perfect gent, and he's often forgotten, but not by me (and he bought me a brandy when I was about 14/15 in The Snake Inn).

[wasp]

Oh Dear PD, DW was expelled from our school for sexual assault according to folk law when I was there!I should know. I had his French book. Not biblically, ofcourse.My hero, Joe Hayes was, I am sure, totally without blemish.Immaculate gaberdine raincoat, polished shoes, and Brilliantined quiff, sitting on the 75 bus like some ordinary mortal.

[Mick]

My first hero was Jimmy Greaves. I was severely miffed when Sir Alf left him out of the England team for the final.

At City, Alan Oakes was the first player I regarded as a hero, but Colin Bell was the big name for me.

Outside of football I thought Patrick Moore was wonderful. I still do, actually. I was fascinated by astronomy as a kid, and read his books avidly- he had a gift for making his science accessible to a 9-year-old.

I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by the great man, ooh, must have been 7 or 8 years ago, got to speak briefly to him and got his autograph. He's got some strange views, but he's still a hero.

[wasp]

Set your Rover 200 for the heart of the sun!

[cheungchaublue]

Joe Joe Corrigan. We share the same birthday, which for an 8 year old was really important. I won an autographed football at a Junior Blues meeting and he gave it to me. Couldn't speak.

Peter Barnes. Left winger, like me. Actually, like I thought I was.

Brian Jacks was an early sporting hero, but I don't know what sport he played. All I know was that he could do dips really fast on Superstars.

[Mick]

Set your Rover 200 for the heart of the sun!

There's a Lotus in that song somewhere. It's not a 200, it's an 820!

[Rocket]

wasn't Brian Jacks world or olympic champion at Judo

[Mick]

wasn't Brian Jacks world or olympic champion at Judo

Brian Jacks represented Britain in the Olympics at Judo, I think he won a medal but don't think it was gold. I seem to recall him popping up on Blue Peter and hurling John Noakes all over the mat. Or maybe Peter Duncan. I'm not sure if that happened now or not. It's the sort of thing which did use to happen on Blue Peter.

[foggy]

Joe Corrigan/Peter Barnes - City

Mike gregory - the wires

[canadablue]

After Swifty it was Reg Harris, Len Hutton, Ray Lindwall and  Bert Trautmann.  Roger Bannister and Lew Hoad at a distance. Many many others I liked to the point of almost-adulation. Oh Mike Hawthorne.

[maccblue]

Colin Bell my first hero.Then Peter Barnes , I'll never forget a game v Spurs where he was completely on form , everytime he touched the ball Maine rd buzzed with great anticipation.
Joe Corrigan is in there too.

[cheungchaublue]

A youtube search for Brian Jacks throws up a great llittle segment from Superstars with competitors playing basketball. Brian Jacks actually comes third but remains the leader overall. Also in the competition is a certain Daley Thomson who I forgot to mention in my original post.

[Blue Spice]

Daley Thompson was my first sporting hero.

[manchester blue]

Juan Manuel Fangio
Not old enough to see him but read lots about him. Proper racing driver.

Dennis Tueart.
Class player, star of his era.

Willie Donachie
Calmness personified.

Dave Watson
A rock

[BaltiPie]

City: Nijinski
Non-City: Red Rum

[Kippax Cat]

Willie Donachie
Calmness personified.

I don't class Willie D as a "sporting hero" in the same vein as Colin Bell, although he was a damn fine left back and could stick in a tidy cross (not to mention the odd rugby tackle ).  He was my hero tho.  I spent many an afternoon gazing fondly at him as he took throw in's right in front of me. (the ex teenage girls on this Board (no, not you Bongo ) will know what I'm on about!  )

[CoMS]

Willie Donachie
Calmness personified.

I don't class Willie D as a "sporting hero" in the same vein as Colin Bell, although he was a damn fine left back and could stick in a tidy cross (not to mention the odd rugby tackle ).  He was my hero tho.  I spent many an afternoon gazing fondly at him as he took throw in's right in front of me. (the ex teenage girls on this Board (no, not you Bongo ) will know what I'm on about!  )

Willie Donachie was our icon too.  Not because of the reasons KC puts him there for! 
He lived just around the corner from us, and he never once showed how annoying it must have been for the kids from the estate rapping on the door and asking "are you coming for a kick about Willie?"  Most of the time he accepted, booting the ball around the field for an hour or so.  You can't believe how that made us feel, controlling a pass from a City player or talking to him about last weeks game or the ensuing season - He was a gent and I still have the 1976 embroidered shirt he gave to me.  He may not be the sporting hero of many, but ask any of the kids who he played football with from our estate, and they will all name Wiilie.

[Kippax Cat]

That's a lovely story CoMS.

He IS a thoroughly nice chap.  I eventually got to meet him (when he and Joe Royle were in charge of City) outside the Reebok in Bolton.  I was sitting on a concrete bollard totally alone, City scarf around my neck, just before a Reserve game as he walked past.  He grinned at me and asked if I was ok, made a comment about my scarf (it'salmost an antique!) and went into the ground. 

The kids came back to find me a pool of mush!   My lad (then aged about 10) said "Oh Mum you're SUCH a girl!" 

[BlueAnorak]

Famtastic Story KC.