Plenty is the short answer. Clubs around the world have soft spots for those to have never worn their shirts:
Albert Kidd The former Brechin, Arbroath, Motherwell, Dundee and Falkirk striker is a legend at Hibernian despite never having played for the Edinburgh club after his two goals (the second of which was preposterously good) against Hearts in the final 10 minutes on the final day of the 1985-86 season denied Hibs’ rivals the title. Hearts needed only a draw but lost 2-0 and Celtic took the championship on goal difference. “Amongst other things he was immortalised on a T-shirt, a copy of which was sneakily handed to the late great Socrates on a visit to Edinburgh a few years ago,” writes Fraser Pettigrew. “I believe a Hibs supporters club named itself in his honour and Sir Albert (as he is known) has also been entertained as guest of honour at the Australian Hibs Supporters Club and doubtless many others. The 3 May has been designated Albert Kidd Day by Hibs fans. We never tire of bringing his name up because, frankly, we’ve had piss all else to crow about over the last 30 years. Kidd is also somewhat revered by Celtic fans since they were the beneficiaries of Hearts’ fall at the final hurdle that day, but it is at Easter Road that he enjoys the highest levels of idolatry.”
Jamie Pollock On a similar theme, QPR fans have Jamie Pollock to thank for keeping their club in the First Division in 1997-98. On the penultimate weekend of the season relegation-threatened Rangers met the equally in-the-mire Manchester City at Maine Road. With the scores at 1-1 Pollock produced not just any own-goal, but unquestionably one of the great own-goals of all-time to gift QPR the lead. City pulled it back to 2-2 but it was not enough – Rangers were safe and City went down. Legend has it that QPR fans then voted him the most influential person of the last 2,000 years in an online survey.
Gary Mabbutt Coventry City supporters set up an early online fanzine called Gary Mabbutt’s Knee in honour of the Spurs’ defender whose own goal secured the 1987 FA Cup for the Sky Blues. “I also remember going to Tottenham for the last game of the season in when Coventry won to survive by the skin of their teeth (again), writes Ian Webb. “After the game the Spurs players made the usual lap of honour to thank their fans for their support through the season, and when they got to the Coventry fans we all sang “There’s only one Gary Mabbutt” at top volume. Mabbutt was gracious enough to have acknowledged the chanting with a sheepish grip on his face that seemed to say: ‘Don’t remind me.’”
Gordon Banks Here’s John Martin with the tale: “Banks became a legend at Liverpool in the 1960s and early 70s on two entirely different counts. After Liverpool won promotion back to the old First Division in 1962 their progress to the upper echelons of the English game was halted on a regular basis whenever they played Leicester City for whom Banks used to produce performances of unbelievable agility and seemed to hold the Reds at bay almost single handedly season after season, so much so that he became public enemy No1 on the Kop. All this changed after a sixth round FA Cup tie in 1965 had ended goalless at Filbert Street, thanks again to Banks, and the replay on the following Wednesday was one of Anfield’s great Cup nights. The Leicester goalie was once again magnificent and it looked as though he was going to defy us yet again but with less than 20 minutes to go Roger Hunt rifled home a shot that even Banks couldn’t stop that proved to be the only goal of the tie. Obviously those of us on the Kop were ecstatic when the referee blew the final whistle but a seminal moment had arrived because Banks, before he walked from the Kop goal that he had been defending, turned and applauded our vocal encouragement of our team. Instantly he was transformed from enemy to bosom pal and he became just about the most favourite visiting player ever to appear at Anfield.”
Alfonso Perez “Getafe named their stadium the Coliseum Alfonso Perez after the former Real Madrid and Real Betis player of mid-90′s fame,” writes Rob Jackson. “This was despite the fact Alfonso never played for Getafe or even played against them in his entire career. He was however the most famous footballer from the region and was thus very popular with the local fans, despite not having stepped foot in the stadium.”
Johan Cruyff FC Zwolle have a stand named after the Dutch legend, despite Cruyff never playing for the Blauwvingers. “He got this honour partly because he had played the very last competitive game of his career at the FC Zwolle stadium, when Feyenoord (Johan’s club at the time) played FC Zwolle during the final game of the 1983-1984 season,” writes Johan van Slooten. Anyone interested can take this rather wonderful virtual tour of the ground.
Andres Iniesta The Barcelona midfielder is much-loved at Espanyol thanks to his gesture after scoring the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final. Iniesta revealed a T-shirt with the message “Dani Jarque siempre con nosotros” (“Dani Jarque always with us”) in honour of the Espanyol midfielder who died of a heart attack in 2009 at the age of 26.
Alan From the sublime to the faintly ridiculous – the Salzburg striker who became a cult figure at Eastlands simply for being called Alan. “Maybe not quite idolisation, but it came quite close for a brief spell last season,” writes Paul Carey.
Jonathan Bornstein “The USA left-back is beloved in Honduras for a 95th minute equalizer against Costa Rica that secured a 2010 World Cup berth at the expense of Los Ticos,” writes Patrick Umsted. “I’m glad someone loves Bornstein because US fans sure don’t.”
Gary Mackay And also on the international front, Scotland’s Gary Mackay is something of a hero in the Republic of Ireland. “MacKay scored on his Scotland debut in 1988 to give them a 1-0 win over Bulgaria in Sofia,” writes Andrew McQuillan. “It had no real significance for Scotland, who were already out of the running, but it put the Republic of Ireland into their first major Championships, Euro 88. Cue national hysteria, Houghton beating England, Ronnie Whelan’s wonder goal, and enduring celebrity status for the otherwise fairly undistinguished MacKay.”
Simon Coulthard
The Guardian
Tags: Albert Kidd, Gary Mabbutt, Gordan Banks, Jamie Pollock