1998 to 2009 spanned the period that I was 11-22 years old. I could have gone off and found other things to waste money and weekends on but John Sheridan kept me going to Latics after initially being dragged along by my dad in what were headier days in the top 2 divisions.
Firstly, after Ritchie became manager and inherited a pretty weak hand and an unambitious board, Sheridan's impact on improving that team and giving us hope of survival (or a third relegation inside half a decade) was immense - and we survived.
In 2003, when everyone else had walked, he didn't have to come out of retirement, but he did and he gave us hope, leadership and quality - and we survived
In January, again, very little hope remained, when who stepped in and turned it around? That man again. And we survived.
For me he's in a class of his own and I'll be forever grateful for what he's done for my club. Thanks John.