But today it is timely that I tell you about an earlier Aberdeen 'Top Dog', although, as you will see, he is not a dog at all, sensu stricto...
Rather, this one, known by the local press as 'the former Aberdeen FC manager' and in other parts of the world as 'Sir Alex Ferguson, boss of Manchester United, most successful English football club ever blah blah blah', is a mere human being, albeit one with, I contend, an impressive set of terrier-like traits .... e.g. stubborn; tenacious; loves chewing; possesses unlimited energy and determination; refuses ever to submit; throws terrible tantrums when thwarted; is not lacking in self-esteem; possesses both bark AND bite; speaks a language incomprehensible to most of the human race; is always able to dig a hole and keep digging - need I go on?
So, to mix my metaphors, why was this 'Fergie' chappie such a big cheese round these parts?
YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T HEARD OF GOTHENBURG 1983 ??!!!!
Where Sir Alex (then plain mister) led underdogs Aberdeen to a 2:1 victory against mighty colossus of European football, Real Madrid, in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup.....
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN THESE LAST 28 YEARS? (Not Aberdeen, clearly! And don't ask if the team has won anything since....)
Have there been other notable events in Sir Alex's past? Well there was the famous incident when he kicked a football boot at David Beckham from across the dressing room and grazed the star player's face. What other human old enough to collect his free bus pass could have conjured up such passion, power and accuracy...?
OK, I can see you're getting bored. Why am I telling you about this today (or at all), you are asking.
Well tomorrow, Saturday, the 'former manager of Aberdeen' will be at Wembley Stadium, where his current team Manchester United are playing Barcelona in another big European football final.
And I for one, shall be barking my support for the team managed by the old honorary terrier, following the grand tradition of Manchester United supporters hailing from anywhere in the world but the city of Manchester.
Gail, now where are my prawn sandwiches....?
