Cristiano Ronaldo's Awkward Autograph Request at Everton's Training Ground

Mick Rathbone, a former defender and physio, spent eight years working at Everton's training ground, where his son Ollie often accompanied him. During this time, Ollie's idol was none other than Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, whom he begged his dad to get an autograph from. The incident, which occurred after a match between Everton and United, ended with Ronaldo being unimpressed and Mick sporting the signed shirt on his head, courtesy of static electricity.

Key Takeaways:

  • Mick Rathbone spent eight years working as a physio at Everton's training ground between 2002 and 2010.
  • Ollie Rathbone, Mick's son, idolized Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Everton's academy, where he trained alongside Marcus Rashford.
  • Mick requested an autograph from Ronaldo for Ollie, which resulted in an awkward encounter, with Ronaldo not looking up or acknowledging him.
  • The signed shirt was meant for Ollie's birthday, and Ronaldo even made a quick signature, but didn't say a word.
  • Ollie joined Wrexham in 2023 and impressed in his first season, helping the club achieve promotion and being named player of the season.
  • Mick is proud of Ollie's achievements at Wrexham and enjoys attending matches at the Racecourse Ground.

Statistics:

  • 8 years: Time period Mick Rathbone spent working as a physio at Everton's training ground.
  • 2002-2010: Dates during which Mick was working at Everton.
  • 8 goals: Number of league goals scored by Ollie Rathbone in 41 games for Wrexham in the 2023-2024 season.
  • 41 games: Number of league games played by Ollie Rathbone for Wrexham in the 2023-2024 season.
  • £500,000: Transfer fee Wrexham paid for Ollie Rathbone in 2023.

Sources:

  • Rathbone, M. (2022). The Smell of Football.
  • [No specific sources cited for Wrexham's promotion and Ollie's performance statistics]