We had to get particular dispensation for Alex to get a Premier League winners medal in 1998. Back then, you wanted 10 appearances to get one – he had solely made seven.
Everyone on the membership thought he absolutely deserved it, although, and the Arsenal followers took to Alex too, as a result of of how brilliantly he performed.
They had a track for him, roughly to the tune of the nursery rhyme Three Blind Mice.
Alex Manninger, Alex Manninger
Got a sore finger, bought a sore finger
Loves Arsene Wenger, loves Arsene Wenger
We would sing it to him too, each time he got here into the room. He liked it. Alex was a shy man initially, however that modified when he was half of the group.
You at all times get to know some gamers higher than others at any membership you’re at, however there was an actual togetherness in our squad on the time. Everyone would combine collectively.
I roomed with Stephen Hughes that season however Matt Upson and Alex would come to our room to play PlayStation video games once we have been in inns for away matches. I used to be a couple of years older, so that they saved me younger actually.
Alex’s character was fairly a distinction on and off the pitch – on it, he was fiercely aggressive. He at all times educated extremely onerous and he was very pushed.
He may typically be very crucial of himself if he made a mistake, nevertheless it was very clear he simply didn’t need to be crushed. As a senior participant, I liked that mentality.
Off the pitch, he was an enormous persona too. Someone who was nice enjoyable to be round but in addition very calm – except he was enjoying on the PlayStation.
Looking at photographs of him now jogs my memory of how he was, and of these days, however it’s one thing greater than that. When I feel of Alex, I can nonetheless image the connection we had in my thoughts’s eye.
He left Arsenal in 2002 and I had not seen him for a quantity of years earlier than he handed away, however everytime you win issues collectively, like we did – we went by some actually massive nights collectively – then there’s a bond there that retains you collectively ceaselessly.
That 1997-98 season was the primary in my profession the place I tasted actual success – it was my first league title, and first FA Cup – and I’ll always remember he performed a significant half in that.
