Meeting your heroes

[Russ Greaves]

Have you had any experience of meeting someone who you have looked up to, idolised or generally admired?

It's thought to be a bad idea, given that invariably these people can only fail to live up to the version of them that you have created in your mind.

But what's weird is that, even though we put these people on a pedestal and make them out to be something extraordinary, what we really want when we meet them is to find that they're entirely ordinary.

I don't say this apropos of nothing, but rather as an excuse to share my excitement at having met and spent some time this week with the legendary Dion Dublin, whose status is only enhanced by his evident normality and approachability.

Through my job I do get to meet and speak with sportspeople, but in that professional environment there will usually be an element of falsehood behind every interaction - a cause for them to be guarded or on their best behaviour. To meet them in a social setting is to get a more authentic insight into who they are and it's never a disappointment to discover they're more or less like anyone else, just gifted at one sport or another.

It must be taxing, though, to know that people are going to judge you on the smallest interaction. Everyone has some variation on a story that involves seeing someone famous act like an arse, which inevitably means they are indeed an arse. Then again, when a famous person spares two minutes for a picture or a chat, they're readily lauded for what is a pretty small gesture.

I'm not sure how generous I'd be with my time if I was a well-known sportsperson...

[cufcdenmark]

Have mixed experiences of meeting people I admired. Was lucky enough to meet Joey Belladonna and Scott Ian from Anthrax a couple of years ago. Joey was incredibly nice, taking time out to chat and take photos whilst Scott Ian couldn't care less.

Have also met Asking Alexandria, one of my daughters favourite bands. Four of the band took loads of time out to chat with the small group of people that had hung around to meet them which really made my daughters night. Unfortunately the singer Danny, was just not interested in meeting any of the fans, although when pressed he let me take a photo of him with my daughter.

Then a couple of weekends ago we got to meet Arch Enemy, and they were all really nice.

With footballers, I once had to serve Steve Spriggs and Steve Fallon in Ridgeons, and they were great. Signed autographs for me, although they did find it a bit strange that I was making them give autographs before I would serve them.

Have also bumped into Wolfie a few times around Cherry Hinton, and he always came across as a really nice bloke.

Met Bob Paisley outside of Anfield once, and he was kind enough to stop and spare a couple of words and sign autographs.

[St Neots U]

I also got to meet Dion when I was working for a well-known football media company and presented him with the man of the match award when Aston Villa played Everton. I was introduced to him as being a fan of one of his former clubs and his face went pale as he whispered "it's not Coventry is it?" and once he knew it most certainly wasn't,  he was absolutely top notch.

[scooterboy]

Whilst on a visit to Whipsnade zoo with the bambino I literally bumped into Rolf Harris who was filming one of his animal programmes.
I have also met Paul Weller a few years back when me and some fellow scooterboys saw him and Steve Craddock leaving the Garden House hotel both stopped and had a chat.

[lionel]

Sitting in 02 arena about to watch Roger Federer play tennis. Going to be amazing to watch genius at work.

[irishfan]

The first football tournament I watched as a youth was Italia 90 and me and the rest of Ireland worshipped our keeper Packie Bonner. I played in goals too (hey Ben Strang sign me up!) and I had posters of him in my bedroom and got his book and watched the Italia 90 tape on the VCR until it wore out.

Later I used to go to Glasgow to watch Celtic games and our group would see Bonner in the airports as he was a coach and commuted. Blew me off a few times and also others in our group. I know where he lives in Dublin and others say the same, wouldn’t give anyone the time of day. Say hello when he’s walking his dog and he’ll walk by as if you are not there. Never meet your heros

Most personable, back slapping, firm handshake, word for everyone person I ever met wasn’t a politician.....it’s Mick McCarthy.

Met him in an airport and had a great chat. He used to bring Ipswich for preseason in Ireland every summer to play local teams and he wouldn’t leave until every kid (and adult) has a photo, autograph and chat. The man is a legend

[belly77]

When I was at school we went on a trip to White Hart Lane. It was midweek so was just a tour of the stadium. Was cery quiet. Lineker and Gazza were my idols back then. We were told they would come and sign our autograph books if we waited in the car park. I remember it was snowing at the time. So we were told they would come out the main entrance where we all assembled. Paul Stewart came out and started signing autographs whilst unbeknown to us Gazza and Gary snuck out a fire exit and headed for the cars. We all legged it over to meet them but they couldn’t get away quickly enough. Apparently they both had urgent dental appointments but would come back afterwards. Obviously they never came back 😢

I was lucky enough to spend Two days in the company of Noel Gallagher a few years back working on one of his music videos. Once he knew I was an original Oasis fan we got on really well. He’s a very sharp guy who to my amazement seemed to remember all the gigs I’d been to in random spots around the country. I thought he’d been off his head for most of them. We also chatted about football a lot. I now have Noels signature blazed over all my original Oasis 12 inch singles.

I work with a lot of comedians and actors so have come across a lot of people I respect. Noel was the only one I was properly nervous around though. As a teenager he was definitely an icon of mine and changed the way I dressed and listend to music.

[Mark Peters’ Bonce of Power]

The most famous musician I’ve met was Billy Bragg, before one of his gigs. Top bloke who happily chatted away, took pictures and shook hands. Always makes a point of hanging around the stage doors, merch stands etc before and after every show he plays and never disappears until everyone that wants to meet him, has met him.

Norman Watt-Roy, bassist extraordinaire of The Blockheads was another good egg, met him when he was supporting Status Quo, as part of The Wilko Johnson band a few years ago. He was only trying to get to the bar in the back of the venue after his set, but was spotted and again happily said hello and shook hands with anyone that wanted to.

I also got to meet Monty Panesar in a pub I was working at in Sydney during my backpacking days, he had been drinking heavily and wasn’t the friendliest, if I’m honest and clearly didn’t want to be recognised. He agreed to have a photo with me and another big England cricket fan that was in the pub, (IIRC, he wanted a free drink before agreeing to it, which I happily provided) and it’s since come to light that he was in a particularly bad place personally at the time, so I’ve never held his grumpiness against him.

Less famous, but I met another musician I’ve long admired, John Wheeler of Hayseed Dixie, in The Live & Let Live a couple of weeks back. I sat down at the bar, ordered a pint, looked round and there he was sat on the next stool
over. I said “excuse me, but are you John Wheeler?” to which he replied in his Tennessee drawl, “I certainly am, are you a fan o’ the band?” Obviously I explained I was and he was more than happy to have a lengthy chat about music over a couple of pints, bought me a beer and offered me one of his fags. Top man all round.

[animal]

Nov 18, 2018 12:54:48 GMT irishfan said:

The first football tournament I watched as a youth was Italia 90 and me and the rest of Ireland worshipped our keeper Packie Bonner. I played in goals too (hey Ben Strang sign me up!) and I had posters of him in my bedroom and got his book and watched the Italia 90 tape on the VCR until it wore out.

Later I used to go to Glasgow to watch Celtic games and our group would see Bonner in the airports as he was a coach and commuted. Blew me off a few times and also others in our group. I know where he lives in Dublin and others say the same, wouldn’t give anyone the time of day. Say hello when he’s walking his dog and he’ll walk by as if you are not there. Never meet your heros

Most personable, back slapping, firm handshake, word for everyone person I ever met wasn’t a politician.....it’s Mick McCarthy.

Met him in an airport and had a great chat. He used to bring Ipswich for preseason in Ireland every summer to play local teams and he wouldn’t leave until every kid (and adult) has a photo, autograph and chat. The man is a legend

Quite a service, I usually stick to a breakfast & pint in "spoons"