Manchester City fans born into the current era will not know what it is like to find a hero in an overall rubbish side, but Ricky Hatton’s own childhood icons were all cut from that mould.
A far cry from the all-conquering side that has featured genuine global stars like Yaya Toure, Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne over the past 15 years, young Manchester City supporters in the 1990s like Hatton had to make do with rather more modest childhood heroes.
Anyone that grew up on a less-than-stellar football diet will tell you that those players remain undiminished regardless how much bigger and better things get from there. Former boxing champion Hatton is no different, picking out Georgian flying winger Georgi Kinkladze as his absolute favourite as a kid.
Ricky Hatton: ‘Manchester City didn’t have much to be excited about but Georgi Kinkladze was magic’
Georgi Kinkladze takes the crown of Hatton’s favourite ever (Image credit: Getty)
A flair player with a touch of exoticism at a time just before masses of foreign imports became the norm, Kinkladze shone for City even as they were relegated from the top flight in his first season at the club in 1995-96.
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A second relegation to the third tier followed two years later – after which Kinkladze understandably took up the offer of a move to Ajax. But he still holds a special place in Hatton’s heart, as told us in the latest edition of FourFourTwo magazine.
“I had a load of heroes – Ian Brightwell, Andy Morrison, Paul Lake, Paul Dickov, players like that,” he said.
“But I’d have to say that it was a player who I’ve been fortunate enough to become really good friends with now: Georgi Kinkladze.
Manchester City fans born into the current era will not know what it is like to find a hero in an overall rubbish side, but Ricky Hatton’s own childhood icons were all cut from that mould.
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