Never meet your heroes… or so they say. For one Newcastle United fan, that advice could not be any wider from the mark.
Steve Dutton, a 42-year-old Gateshead native now exiled down south, had his dreams transformed into reality last weekend. A self-confessed Allan Saint-Maximin superfan, the East of England Ambulance worker made the 500-mile round trip to watch his beloved Newcastle against Nottingham Forest.
Eddie Howe’s men kickstarted their 2022-23 campaign with a comfortable 2-0 win to send the Geordies singing long into the night. However, it was Steve who would leave St James’ Park with the biggest smile of all.
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Victory on the opening day was not the only reason why his trip from Hertfordshire was worthwhile. Saint-Maximin, fresh from his eye-catching display on the left flank, conjured up more magic to deliver a moment one Newcastle fan will never forget.
The Magpies’ maverick had already delivered off the field - and was about to deliver off it.
Steve recounted the moment Saint-Maximin gifted him a diamond-encrusted, custom-made G-Shock watch. He told ChronicleLive: “We have a French flag, with his name and number on it, and he notices us because of the flag. He gives us a wave on the way into the ground and on the way out.
“My son met Saint-Maximin after the Liverpool game last season. We stand outside the player’s exit at the end of every home game - we’re both mad for Maxi.
“It was my daughter’s first game (Nottingham Forest). Afterwards, we waited around like usual with the flag. All of a sudden, we started seeing cameras and Serena (the club photographer) was there too. I thought ‘what is happening here, this doesn’t usually happen', and Maxi was driving slowly.
“Then, he stopped and got out. We thought he was coming for photos and I started getting my camera out. He pulled out a box and said ‘this is for you.’ My jaw hit the floor. I didn’t know how to react because everybody was around.
“I was starstruck. Even though I'm old enough to be his dad, he’s still my favourite player. A lot of people have trolled me online for how I reacted… but I was genuinely just stunned. It has been a week now and I’m still speechless.”
Online sceptics assumed the stunt was set up. That Steve’s reaction, a one of disbelief and astonishment - was somehow staged.
The NHS worker laughs at the naysayers but the incident was no fluke. Steve and his son have met the Frenchman before and this was merely his way of repaying their unrivalled support.
“All we ever wanted was a signature or a picture,” he added. “But he drove out after the Liverpool game in April and said ‘I’ll give you my shirt.’ My son was over the moon. After the game, we were waiting and a French man asked if we would like to meet Maxi.
“Only my boy was allowed, I was gutted… I’m equally as big a fan as my son! He forgot to get it signed so that was our next mission.
“We went to the training ground at 6am, Eddie Howe arrived at 6.30pm and looked at us like we were mad as the players weren't due in for hours. He took it in for us and got it signed off Maxi, who I met and got my own shirt signed when he turned up for training.”
Despite not yet having the watch valued, Steve insists he would never dream of selling the gift he received from his Newcastle hero. The dad-of-two believes Saint-Maximin “gets it” on Tyneside and is someone fans can be proud of.
He said: “I’m 100% keeping it. I remember taking my son to Saint-Maximin’s first game and being like ‘woah, wow’. He is an exceptional player. I’m not just saying this because he’s given me a watch and a shirt, I genuinely think he gets the club.
“The stardom hasn’t gone to his head and I think he is a genuine person. He has not forgotten his roots. Maxi genuinely gets it on and off the pitch.”
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