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John Simm, an award-winning actor best known for his time-travelling roles in Life on Mars and Dr Who, dropped into Old Trafford recently to front the new official DVD, A Century of Dreams.
Out now, the DVD celebrates the greatest goals, games and players from Old Trafford’s glorious first 100 years and features the personal recollections from Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton, Ryan Giggs and many others.
Welcome back to Old Trafford, John. Please tell us about your first experience here and the impact it had on you...
A friend’s dad brought me when I was 12. It was a cup game against West Ham and Steve Coppell scored. (United won 2-0; FA Cup third round, 8 January 1983). It had a huge impact on my life, just walking in and seeing the pitch for the first time.
Who was your first United hero?
My first hero was Coppell, not just because he scored the first goal I ever saw at Old Trafford, but because he was a right winger and that was my position when I played. He was small, fast and dynamic. I also had a soft spot for Gary Bailey.
Who’s the best player you’ve seen at Old Trafford?
With apologies to Ryan Giggs, it would have to be Eric Cantona, for the aura and the enigma. There was just something about his attitude, the way he used to walk out, collar up, as thousands of fans shouted his name. It’s the closest thing you can get now to seeing gladiators at the Coliseum in Roman times. Eric was extraordinary to watch, especially for me as an actor, just to study his face and think, ‘How must he feel?’ He was a really special player. He did stuff I’d never seen before.
So is Ryan someone else you’ve admired?